While there are a variety of carnivorous plants on land, most species of insect-trapping plants are found in water. Bladderworts are a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of more than 230 species. Most of them are aquatic plants.
Bladderworts are called so be cause of the tiny bladder-like structures on the plants. These bladders appear on the branched underwater leaves of the plant. Bladderworts trap insects with the help of these bladders. They are, in fact, small vacuum traps that can catch tiny aquatic insects and animals.
Bladderworts are strange plants. They do not have roots! They feathery leaves of the plant always remain submerged in the water.The plant has beautiful, tiny flowers that appear on top of thin stems a few centimetres tall. These plants look like miniature orchids. These brightly coloured flowers attract tiny insects to the plant. However these plants often go unnoticed by bigger animals as they usually appear in the bottom of shallow waters. In summer and spring, they float to the surface of the water and send up shoots of small, attractive yellow snapdragons like flowers.
Not all bladderworts are water-bound. Some of these species are found on damp mosses and some others are found on trees.
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