Plants Behaving Badly

Gr 6 Up—The plants that attracted Charles Darwin more than a century and a half ago, and that are still fascinating scientists today, are the focus of this nature film. Divided into two parts, it first examines carnivorous plants. Viewers will be introduced to three types: flypaper plants, whose glue traps insects; pitcher plants, where insects fall into pits so sticky and slippery that they cannot escape; and finally, the snapper traps, which catch insects and even small rodents between snapping leaves. Viewers will also learn that these plants require nitrogen to thrive, and they attract and trap those insects that provide the much-needed element. "Carnivorous Plants" concludes with the study of the popular Venus flytrap. Part 2 concentrates primarily on orchids, which make up the largest number of plants in the world, approximately 25,000. It presents in colorful detail all that orchids do in order to pollinate. This segment would probably be more informative for students of botany and/or as a visual explanation of pollination and cross-pollination.