One of the most interesting creatures that I’ve come across so far in Borneo is actually a little green person – an amazing carnivorous plant.
This is a Pitcher Plant, of which there are many different species in Borneo. The name is very apt, as the tips of the leaves are extended into these incredible growths that form beautiful vase-like vessels…
As I was admiring the Pitcher Plant, I noticed some ants crawling about. Bright orange-brown and lively, they were unmistakably Weaver Ants. As I leaned in for a closer look, the ants glowered at me, even snapping their mandibles…
However, despite their best intentions, these ants were being conned. Drawn to the Pitcher Plant by its seductive secretions, they eventually make their way to the rim where they then slip and fall into the ‘pitcher’. Here they, as well as many other hapless insects, are slowly digested and ‘eaten’ over time by the plant…
wow! Very interesting and educative