Scientists have discovered that the carnivorous pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana uses a chemical nerve agent to incapacitate insects before digesting them.
The plant secretes a sweet nectar along the rim of its pitcher-shaped traps, attracting ants and other insects. But the nectar contains isoshinanolone, a toxic nerve agent that disrupts the insects’ nervous systems, causing sluggish movement, muscle weakness and excessive grooming. Many victims eventually fall into spasms and drop into the pitcher, where some die outright.
The nectar also includes sugars that absorb water, making the rim extremely slippery and increasing the chance that drugged prey will slide into the trap. Once inside, the insects are broken down by digestive fluids, providing nutrients that help the plant survive in nutrient-poor soils.
The combination of sweet lure, toxic chemistry and physical slipperiness makes the nectar both bait and weapon in the plant’s deadly feeding strategy.
