Dionaea muscipula - venus flytrap

Dionaea muscipula is feeding on insects and arachnids. It is "hunting" by setting traps on the ground - each trap is formed by widening the top of a plant's leaf and it looks like some sort of jaws. When the prey touches one of the tiny hairs inside the trap, jaws close within no more than 20 seconds to catch the insect. The prey remains captured within the trap while digestive apparatus of the plant assimilates it. The empty bug exoskeleton that remains is then thrown away. The plant is normally met at the American east coast in North Carolina, USA.

Reclaimed by nature 2

Here is part 2 of the "Reclaimed by nature" series. This one is dedicated to buildings conquered by nature.

The Fukang Meteorite

The Fukand meteorite was discovered in 2000 near Fukang, China. It is considered to be a pallasite meteorite, which means olivine crystals integrated into iron-nickel matrix.

Crystal Cathedral

The Naica caves were discovered near the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, while digging for zinc and silver. These are the largest known gypsum crystals on Earth.

Issus sp. - the gear insect

The pair of gears above belongs to the rear legs of an insect from the Issus genus. The mechanism serves as a synchronizer of the motion of the rear legs while the insect jumps. At the moment this is the only known insect with such mechanism.

Macropinna microstoma - a fish with transparent head

M. microstoma inhabitates depth from 600 to 800m. The fish normally hovers and moves very slowly in the water and when its prey arrives M. microstoma does one or few sharp moves to catch it. As seen from the image above, this creature is famous for its transparent cranium and its eyes which could be directed straight forward or in different directions, said in other words - this fish is able to see through its own cranium.

Stenolemus bituberus - аssassin bug

 

This bug hunts in two general ways: by slowly stalking the victim and by luring it. In the first way the insect slowly approaches the spider until it comes in range and then suddenly stabs the prey with its rostrum. While using the second and more interesting tactic, the assassin bug mimics spiders victim by pulling a thread of his web. The spider is attracted thinking it is his prey and comes to check the situation, when he is suddenly stabbed by the S. bituberus rostrum. The assassin bug sometimes carries some parts of the spider bodies as an armor. S. bituberus inhabitates Australia.