Plant's deadly rain-powered spring

A carnivorous pitcher plant uses raindrops as a power source to fling ants to their doom, researchers have discovered.

Biologists at the University of Bristol found that rain helps the plant to "flick" ants into its pitcher trap, where they drown and are consumed by the plant.

The team used high-speed cameras to capture the movement, as this short clip shows.

The findings are published in the journal PNAS, external.

(Footage courtesy of Dr Ulrike Bauer, University of Bristol)