A recent study discovered that Venus flytraps "count" in order to trap victims and feed.
The Venus flytrap adjusts itself to the frequency of stimulation of its hairs. By counting, the Venus flytrap detects the movements of its prey and then creates chemical signals that alert the plant. Its trap closes in one-tenth of a second which makes it a sure meal, according to the study "The Venus Flytrap Dionaea muscipula Counts Prey Induced Action Potentials to Induce Sodium Uptake."
University of Wurzburg's Professor Rainer Hedrich is the lead scientist for the study. "The carnivorous plant Dionaea muscipula, also known as Venus flytrap, can count how often it has been touched by an insect visiting its capture organ in order to trap and consume the animal prey," Hedrich said, according to the Mirror.
They did the experiment by simulating sensory actions into the Venus flytrap and observed that after the first one, it is preparing itself to feed and by the fifth touch, it begins to produce enzymes for digestion.
"The number of action potentials informs the plant about the size and nutrient content of the struggling prey. This allows the Venus flytrap to balance the cost and benefit of hunting," Hedrich added.
Through these calculations, the plant determines how much of its energy should be consumed in capturing a prey. It might seem like a conscious being, but it still remains a plant.
University of Washington's Dr. Liz Van Volkenburgh noted that it is an impressive feat. "Obviously, it doesn't have a brain to go 'one, two, three, four,'" Van Volkenburgh said, according to the New Scientist. "Effectively, it's counting. It's just not thinking about it."
