Observation: contents of a Sarracenia pitcher

Sarracenia’s traps are large pitchers that can hold several hundred insects, most of which are flying insects. This pitcher had begun to rot due to an excess of organic matter – what might colloquially be called ‘indigestion’.

This small pitcher of Sarracenia flava var. rubricorpora contains around 80 per cent flies, with the remainder consisting of small moths, wasps and worms. The latter probably developed within the bodies of the insects already present. Identifying them becomes increasingly difficult the deeper one goes into the trap.

A wasp is clearly visible at the very bottom of the pitcher: its chitin (the exoskeleton specific to insects) is thicker than that of flies and is difficult for carnivorous plants to digest, making the wasp easily identifiable.