Rat eating plant discovered

[theboyfold]

Cripes!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-120...

[Dupont666]

theboyfold said:

Cripes!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-120...

Looks like a mouse and a pitcher plant?

[Jem0911]

And it doesn't look dead?

[theboyfold]

The Daily Wail said:

A giant carnivorous plant that can swallow rodents whole, has been discovered by a team of scientists in The Philippines.

The botanists have named the pitcher plant after the renowned natural history expert Sir David Attenborough.

The dramatic red and green pitcher plant is reminiscent of Audrey, the man-eating plant that starred in the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors. It is so big it can catch rats as well as insects in its traps.

That little fella isn't dead, and click on the link it will tell you all about the new plant:

[Davi]

Reading the article suggests it's not either the first or necessarily the largest, so a bit of a non-story all round, but what I would like to know is why the rat / mouse can't get out - I've seen a mouse climb up the inside of a lemonade bottle and out the hole in the top, so WTF has that plant got that a polished plastic bottle hasn't?!!

[B Oeuf]

Surely David would be a more sensible choice if you're going to name it after the bloke?

[Dupont666]

this is larger:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_rajah

this is bigger:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8...

[theboyfold]

Dupont666 said:

this is bigger:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8...

That link is about the same plant (the Nepenthes attenboroughii), but the photo is very different to the one The Daily Wail used:

[Justayellowbadge]

theboyfold said:

When I get out of here, I'm moving to cousin Bob's in Britain.

He's got a BMW.

[Hedders]

"Botanists named the plant Nepenthes attenboroughii' after nature expert Sir David Attenborough.

If it eats rodents i would have thought that 'Nepenthis Freddie Star' would be more apt.

[williamp]

Finally the question set by UB40 has been solved by Scientists

"There's a rat in the kitchen, what am I gonna' do??"

[i remember]

Can these grow in london?

Or maybe 1 every 6m everywhere to combat the rats?

[Puggit]

So apparently it has a waxy interior which makes it too slippery to escape by climbing out.

I thought rats were famous for eating through everything...

[Vron]

Davi said:

Reading the article suggests it's not either the first or necessarily the largest, so a bit of a non-story all round, but what I would like to know is why the rat / mouse can't get out - I've seen a mouse climb up the inside of a lemonade bottle and out the hole in the top, so WTF has that plant got that a polished plastic bottle hasn't?!!

It could gnaw its way out its only a plant!

[Mexico.]

Photoshop is crap he/she needs hanging

[robinhood21]

i remember said:

Can these grow in london?

Or maybe 1 every 6m everywhere to combat the rats?

Yes, yes troughs of them around Parliament Square please.

[bullies180]

Roland Rat: oi Kevin, get me out of here, now!

[FourWheelDrift]

theboyfold said:

Dupont666 said:

this is bigger:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8...

That link is about the same plant (the Nepenthes attenboroughii), but the photo is very different to the one The Daily Wail used:

The plant is as it says the one on the left of the two in the Mail story, the caption even says it is similar to the other one (the one with the mouse in it).

[okgo]

Crap.

A rate can bite through concrete. A plant would last minutes.

[Jasandjules]

Place a few in Westminister, we'd soon reduce the expenses claims...