Butterworts and Sundews – Insectivorous Plants in the Alps

One of the most exciting aspects of looking at alpine flora is the close relationship with insects. In our mountain meadows you can see colourful butterflies and buzzing honey bees frolicking around from flower to flower. Sometimes the relationship between a flower and its pollinating insect is so close that the two are completely adapted to each other, but things are not always friendly between insects and plants….

A Butterwort: An insect trap

The alpine butterwort (Pinguicula alpina) attracts small insects with a sweet substance on its light green leaves. However, it’s a trap: as soon as the small insects land on the attractive leaves, they get stuck to the same sticky substance which attracted them in the first place. butterworts are carnivorous which allows the plant to supplement its diet with the nutrients that are released during the digestion of the trapped insects. That’s why alpine butterworts can grow well on poor soils.

Sundew plants

Alpine butterworts are not the only insectivorous plants that you can find during your hiking trip in the Alps. You might also see some common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris) with small purple flowers. Other carnivorous species that thrive in the Alps are round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and long-leaved sundew (Drosera longifolia). These species catch insects with their red, sticky tentacles. When small animals get stuck, the sundew’s leaf rolls itself around the prey to digest it.

Spotting carnivorous plants

Sundews as well as butterworts love boggy areas which are low in nutrients, so look for them in moist patches right next to your path while trekking through the Alps. If your Tour du Mont Blanc trip takes you over the Col the Montets, keep your eyes peeled when you’re close to the Nature Information Centre: both sundew and butterwort thrive there!   

More about flora in the Alps:

• Spring flowers in the Alps: The extraordinary story of Anemone hepatica – April 7, 2019
• Edelweiss – The Symbol of the Alps – Sep 26, 2018
• Flora in the Alps: Pollinators in High Elevations – June 5, 2019
• Flora in the Alps – Why are mosses so special? – April 14, 2019
• Flora in the Alps – Why are lichen so special? – March 17, 2019

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

Latest posts by Simone van Velzen (see all)

• The Alps: A Biodiversity Treasure Trove - December 10, 2020
• Flora in the Alps – Spotlight on the Alpenrose - June 25, 2020
• Tour du Mont Blanc Hightlight: The Contamines-Montjoie Nature Reserve - May 21, 2020