Catching prey is as easy as 1-2-3 for Venus flytraps, according to a new study. That's because they use hormones to 'count' the steps of prey who are unfortunate enough to land on their surface.

Catching prey is as easy as 1-2-3 for Venus flytraps, according to a new study. That's because they use hormones to 'count' the steps of prey who are unfortunate enough to land on their surface.
In a study reported in Current Biology, researchers detailed the way the plant meticulously 'counts' the steps of its prey. When insects touch their trigger hairs, a process begins to ramp up their digestion.
Two steps triggers a hormone increase and five starts the production of digestive enzymes. Two steps had already been established as the trigger for the plants to snap shut as it prevented plants from wasting energy on false alarms such as raindrops. When a hormone is triggered by two touches, the plant can snap shut in just a tenth of a second. "The number of action potentials informs the plant about the size and nutrient content of the struggling prey," said Rainer Hedrich, lead author in the study from the University of Würzburg. "This allows the flytrap to balance the cost and benefit of hunting".
Previous research by the same team led to the discovery of the two-touch trigger. The team decided to test it further by observing the plant's reaction when fed cri