The catapult/flypaper trap.

 

This Australian Sundew plant is a puzzle for those who believe in evolution rather than Creation. Wikipedia describes it thus- ‘The trapping mechanism of this species is unique in that it combines features of both flypaper and snap traps; it has been termed a catapult-flypaper trap.[4] Non-flying insects trigger this catapult when certain plant cells break.[5] Then this process cannot be repeated until the plant grows new tentacles.

How long did it take for this plant to start to catch flies? How many flies got away while this process was being perfected by ‘slight incremental steps’?

This plant relies on several parts working together in order to make a kill!

When a fly walks on the snap tentacles, it triggers a catapult action propelling the prey onto some glue covered tentacles and once stuck the insect is gradually moved down to the area of the leaf design to digest it.

400 milliseconds is all it takes!

This Sundew has touch sensitive tentacles which in around 400 milliseconds catapult the insect into the digestive area. How this works is a puzzle to scientists.

One expert states, ‘exactly how the outer tentacles work is a bit of a mystery because plants don’t have muscles’ and as each tentacle can only flip just once there is no chance for practice or a re-run!

This amazing plant shouts out that it was made by a wonderful Creator, not a result of blind chance!

 

journal.pone .0045735.g001_3