The carnivorous pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana has been found to drug its prey with a toxic nerve agent before digesting it, scientists have discovered.
The plant produces a sweet nectar along the rim of its pitcher-shaped traps, attracting insects such as ants. This nectar contains isoshinanolone, a nerve toxin that disrupts the ants’ nervous systems, causing sluggish movement, muscle weakness and excessive grooming. Many insects eventually lose coordination, fall into the pitcher and are sometimes killed outright by the toxin.
The nectar also contains sugars that absorb water, making the rim extremely slippery and increasing the chance that prey will slide into the trap. Once inside, the insects are broken down by digestive fluids, providing the plant with vital nutrients in the nutrient-poor soils where it grows.
Researchers say the combination of chemical poisoning and physical slipperiness makes the nectar both an irresistible lure and a highly effective trap.
