> Are slugs immune to effects of S. Flava and S. Purpurea? I noted that the
> slug worked his way around the rim of the S. Purpurea before wandering out,
> so apparently he liked something there.
>
Sarracenias have evolved to capture mostly insect prey which are
attracted to extrafloral nectaries around the rim and hood of the
pitchers. Slugs grip surfaces by a different mechanism to spiders,
insects etc and secrete a slime trail such that their progress is
unimpeded by the downward pointing hairs that make the surface
slippery for most insects. The slug would also not be killed as it
had not landed the lower pitcher which is where insects are
drowned and digested.
Martin Henery
Macquarie University
Sydney, Australia.