Fauna and Flora on our doorstep

We are very excited that the tarring of the Hemel en Aarde road is starting this year.

New emphasis has been put on the rich wildlife in our area and how the roadworks will affect them.  I am happy to report that a large project has been initiated to preserve the wildlife while roadworks are in progress. 

The largest carnivorous plant in the world is called roridula or vlieëbos in Afrikaans. Dr Anina Lee, chairperson of Whale Coast Conservation says this plant grows right here on our doorstep, but the exact location is a closely guarded secret as it is so rare and endangered.

This plant can get up to two meters tall and its leaves are covered in hairs with sticky droplets with which they capture insects and even small birds.

But, surprisingly, the plants have no digestive enzymes to digest their prey, so why do they catch them? It was found that small bugs live on roridula in great abundance. The bugs hold their bodies away from the traps and, with specially adapted feet, they run at great speed over what would be a death trap for any other insect. These bugs roam the plants in search of food – insect food. When an insect is found, struggling helplessly against the stickiness, the bugs approach cautiously. The bugs probe with their probisci looking for a weak spot in the exoskeleton of the prey.

Each time the prey moves, the bug retreats, only to probe again and again. With each probe, a tiny amount of venom is injected and soon the prey succumbs and dies. Within half an hour black bugs fly in from close by and a massive seething scrum develops, vying for a place at the carcass, using their hind legs to lash out at rivals that get too close.

Soon the prey is reduced to a dry husk and the bloated bugs slowly disperse. But before they disperse, they defecate on leaves of roridula. The nitrogenrich faeces are fertilizer for roridula which can absorb the nitrogen straight through their leaves. So roridula does not need digestive enzymes – it has an army of living organisms to do the job of digestion.

Dr Lee says: “For more interesting facts about our weird and wonderful indigenous species, visit the Hermanus Flower and Eco Fair at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve in September.