What+allows+venus+fly+traps+to+move,+do+they+have+muscles?


 * __WHAT ALLOWS VENUS FLY TRAPS TO MOVE, DO THEY HAVE MUSCLES?__**

Answer the question below, append new answers to the top of this page. _ __Response 1:__
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__Additional Responses:__

The Venus Fly Trap attracts bugs using a sweet tasting nectar inside of the plant. The Venus Fly Trap is made up of two lobes that form the trap, and on those lobes are small hairs called "trigger hairs". The Venus Fly Trap conserves energy by using the hairs to sense what has landed on it, and does not close every time the hairs sense something. For the trap to snap shut the hairs must sense something two or three times, so it can tell the difference between something like a leaf landing on it versus a bug, which would move around and touch the trigger hairs more than once. The trigger hairs work by sending an electrical impulse to tell the plant something is there, which causes cells in the plant to expand. Because of the expanded cells, the trap is forced to close on whatever is there. So, to answer your question, the Venus Fly Trap does not have muscles, however it uses the trigger hairs to help it move and sense its prey, and the expanding cells cause it to move. Its like how our body works, sending electrical impulses to our brain to tell it what to do.

Key Terms:

Trigger hairs: Short hairs on the Venus Fly Trap that send electrical impulses through the plant to expand cells and trap prey. Nectar: A sweet syrup from plants Electrical Impulse: A surge of electricity that travels through an object

Citations:

Article #1 Author: University of Calgary Date: Unknown

Link: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~dmjacobs/edts325/flytrap/Venusp~1.htm

Article #2

Author: Paul Marks Date: 26th October 2011

Link: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228356.100-robot-venus-flytraps-could-eat-bugs-for-fuel.html

By Olivia, February 21st 2012.

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