Where to Find Insect-Eating Plants

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Rosemary

Purple Pitcher PlantCarnivorous plants may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these fascinating plants exist. Better yet, you can find them here in Massachusetts.

And now’s the time to go looking for them: they’re trapping this summer’s crop of insects and other small invertebrates, and many are blooming.

What is a Carnivorous Plant?
Unlike most plants that absorb vital nutrients directly from the soil, carnivorous plants grow in habitats like bogs that are low in nitrogen and other substances needed for growth. They survive by trapping and eating nutritious animals such as insects and small crustaceans.

Types of Carnivorous Plants
There are three types of insect-eating plants that you can find in Massachusetts.

Pitcher Plant
Purple Pitcher Plant FlowerLook for the purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) amongst sphagnum mosses in a bog or other acidic wetland. During spring and summer, it produces a 2-inch-wide green and red flower that looks like a hovering UFO. Its vase-shaped leaves are 4-10 inches long. Peer inside one of these leaves and you’ll see a bacteria-laden soup. Insects fall into this fluid and are digested; they can’t escape because the walls are lined with downward-pointing hairs.

Sundew
Round-leaved SundewThere are 3 species of sundew in Massachusetts, and their names describe their shapes: the round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), the spatulate-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia), and the thread-leaved sundew (Drosera filiformis). You may find them clinging to a boardwalk or nestled in bog greenery. The purple to white 5-petaled flowers appear in mid- to late-summer. The leaves are covered in long reddish hairs, each of which bears a sugary, sticky droplet of “dew”. This fluid traps insects, and then the leaves wrap around them and consume them.

Bladderwort
Inflated BladderwortThere are 13 species of bladderwort found across our state. Their snapdragon-like yellow or purple flowers rise singly or in little clusters above the water. These are supported below the surface by root-like structures that bear many small hairy bladders. When a small creature like a mosquito larva touches one of the hairs, this contact triggers a change in the shape of the bladder, which vacuums up the prey for digestion.

Where to See Them
All three types of carnivorous plants can be seen in freshwater, nutrient-poor wetlands across the state, and you’ll find them at many of our wildlife sanctuaries, such as Broadmoor in Natick, High Ledges in Shelburne, Skunknett River in Barnstable, and Oak Knoll in Attleboro. Or, join a naturalist from the Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton for a Family Bog Walk on July 28 for a chance to see one.

Have you seen any carnivorous plants? If so, tell us where and when in the comments!

The Art of Pickling

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Hillary T.

photo via flickr/dom dadaThe process of preserving food via pickling (or fermentation) dates back centuries. In fact, according to the New York Food Museum, people have been “curing” cucumbers since long before the Dark Ages. Cleopatra herself was known to consume pickled cucumbers, and even attributed her good looks to the delicacy.

Of course, these days, pickles are relatively commonplace. But have you ever been curious how pickles are made, or what else you can pickle? Find out during Drumlin Farm’s 3-part series this summer. First Up: A Pickled Pageant on Friday, July 19. To give you a taste of what you may learn during this hands-on program, which is part-lecture, part tasting, read a few interesting pickling facts.

“Pickling” is a process of preserving food. For those who want the nitty gritty details, it uses anaerobic fermentation in brine to produce lactic acid or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar (acetic acid).

Pickles are not just cucumbers. Anything that is preserved in an acidic brine can be called a pickle and virtually any produce can be pickled including tomatoes, peaches, onions, watermelon rind, etc.

Pickles made and stored properly won’t spoil. In order to achieve this, the pH of the brine needs to be ~4.5 or less, which is low enough to kill off most bacteria.

Almost every culture in the world developed its own form of pickle using local staples, from mangoes in South Asia to olives in the Middle East to turnips in Northern Europe. Some of these are very familiar to us in the U.S. (kosher dills, sauerkraut, pickled eggs) while some are less known (pickled dates, almonds, or lemons).

Ready for more? Sign up now for the A Pickled Pageant. Can’t make it but love to pickle? Share your tips and techniques in the comments.

Photo via flickr/dom dada