Venus Flytrap Trap Closes After Outer Leaf Cells Soften
Experiments published today show that cells on the outer surface of the hinged leaf soften after an insect enters, allowing the trap to change shape and shut in less than a second.
thehindubusinessline.comExperiments published today show that cells on the outer surface of the hinged leaf soften after an insect enters the Venus flytrap, allowing the leaf to change shape and hinge shut. The research team reported the findings in Science on 2026-06-14. The study examined how the plant closes its trap in less than a second.
Charles Darwin stated in 1875 that the carnivorous Venus flytrap was one of the “most wonderful” plants in the world. Scientists have long sought to explain the rapid closure mechanism. The lobes that form the Venus flytrap’s mouth curve inwards to trap prey.
After an insect crawls into the flytrap’s maw, cells on the outer surface of the hinged leaf soften, the researchers found. This softening permits the leaf to change shape and close around the prey. The team conducted experiments that isolated the role of these outer-surface cells in the snapping process.
