Carnivorous Plants in Your Pond

Common Bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza)

Plants that eat animals, somewhat unusually some may think- But in fact they are  quite common, both in waters of the Midwest and around the world. A specialized genus of submergent vegetation commonly know as bladderwort (Utricularia sp.), has the ability to trap and consume zooplankton, protozoans, flatworms, and even mosquito larve. The plant's physical structure is unique in the fact that it has small branching bladder like traps located throughout the underwater portions of the plant, hence the name bladderwort. Zooplankton in the water column are attracted to these traps by a sugary mucilage secreted by the plant. Once there, the prey sets off a series of trigger hairs and is sucked into the bladder with the use of osmotic pressure.

Although the plant does have photosynthetic leaf-shoots, the ability to supplement it's energy production with the consumption of higher-level organisms is assumed to evolutionarily benefit the plant under nutrient limiting conditions. Bladderwort has been found to thrive in the harshest of conditions including the the cold of Antarctica and acidified lakes of the Adirondacks- But don't be surprised if it's found in the pond down the street either, this plant is truly cosmopolitan in freshwater. In the United States a couple varieties exist, typically displaying a yellow or purple colored flower mid to late summer. Utricularia is not considered a nuisance plant, and seldom has the ability to over populate a waterbody. 

So, if your out fishing at your pond or down by the water's edge, take a look and see if you can see any distinct branching bladders (typically 0.2 mm to 1.2 cm wide; See image above). And if you don't like what you see, don't forget about the AQUA DOC's full season premium lake and pond management services for nuisance weed and algae control. Now is a good time to be thinking about your aquatic plants, before the major portion of the growing season starts. For more information and to get in contact with our experts please call us at (440) 286-POND or email aquadocinc@aol.com.

Enjoy your pond this year!

~ The Frogger Blogger

External Links:
University of Buffalo, Carnivorous plant packs big wonders into tiny genome
USDA Wildflowers