Greater Bladderwort

The greater bladderwort is one of those plants that are truly incredible. This wonder of nature sits in the water and traps its prey much like a fish trap or crab pot, and then proceeds to eat. They are distributed throughout the world including Asia, Europe, North America, Mexico and Cuba.

The greater bladderwort has a beautiful yellow flower that is above the waters surface that puts off a sweet nectar smell and attracts many insects that help pollinate. But the real show is below the water surface. The root system of the greater bladderwort has multi-layered roots that spread out and contain tiny bladders that look like small berries. Before botanist figured out what they were, the tiny bladders were thought to be floats. Most of the greater bladderwort sits near the bottom of the ponds, marshes or slow moving streams. When the plant is ready to flower it then floats to the top but the root system and bladders are still below the surface.

The bladders are like miniature vacuums that suck up small aquatic fish and organisms that happen to swim near it. The bladders have small openings surrounded by tiny hairs. When an unsuspecting victim brushes the tiny hairs of the bladder, a snapping mechanism is activated whereby the creature is sucked inside. Note: small fish and other aquatic creates are attracted to the root system and bladders because it provides false shelter from larger hunters, and the bladders also release a slimy mucus that smells sweet and lures them even closer.

Once inside the bladder, the creatures cannot escape because the trap door shuts with no possible exit (Note: If you examined an entire plant under a microscope you would find nearly every bladder contains many creatures in various states of digestion). The bladder then releases enzymes that break down the food source and it is them absorbed by the plant for nutrition.

There are many examples of what the greater bladderwort dines on. Of course the bladders are limited by their size, but there are examples in captivity and in nature where the bladders contain small fish that are half in and half out of the bladder. The part in the bladder is dissolving and the part out looks normal. Some of the critters a greater bladderwort enjoys for dinner include:

• Mosquito larvae
• Water fleas
• Newborn tadpoles & fish
• Minute crustaceans
• Insect Larvae
• Worms & much more

Greater bladderworts may contain as many as 500 bladders on its root system that eat thousands of tiny organisms every day. A true survivor and natures vacuum cleaner in the water.