A carnivorous pitcher plant has been found to lace its sugary nectar with a powerful nerve toxin that helps doom its prey. The plant, Nepenthes khasiana, secretes a sweet liquid along the rim of its pitchers to attract insects, especially ants.
Researchers discovered the nectar contains isoshinanolone, a toxic nerve agent that disrupts the ants’ nervous systems, causing sluggish movement, muscle weakness and excessive grooming. Disoriented insects often fall into spasms and slip into the pitcher, where some die before being digested.
The nectar also contains three water-absorbing sugars that make the rim extremely slippery, increasing the chances that prey slide into the trap. Together, the toxic and slick nectar acts as both lure and weapon, allowing the plant to gain nutrients in the nutrient-poor soils where it grows.
