How Do Venus Flytraps Catch Insects?

Each trap is a pair of hinged leaf lobes lined with sensitive trigger hairs. One touch starts an electrical signal, but the trap only closes if a second hair is touched within about 20 to 30 seconds, preventing false alarms from raindrops. The lobes flip from convex to concave, snapping shut in around a tenth of a second. Bristles along the edges interlock like prison bars, and further movement by the insect makes the trap seal tightly. Digestive enzymes then break down the prey over several days, supplying nutrients missing from the poor boggy soil.