Bladderwort
Bladderwort (Ultricularia) is a large family of 233 species. The species found (common bladderwort) in the Kamloops area are aquatic perennials that can be found in ponds, shallow bays in lakes, and marshes.
- All Ultricularia are carnivorous, capturing small insects with bladder-like traps. Common bladderwort can even capture larger insects and fish fry.
- A complex mechanism has evolved with sensitive hairs triggering a trapdoor which closes and entraps the visiting organism, which is trapped, dies, decays, and is absorbed.
- Thin branching stems with no roots grow underwater or float on the surface. Many small green leaves surround small lidded bladders which help with flotation and trap live food.
- Yellow showy flowers develop on top of vertical stems. The flowers are similar to snapdragons and are sometimes added to home ponds.
- All photos taken by the author, from a kayak. Click an image for a lightbox view.
- Some bladderworts have self-pollinating flowers and some even have both types of flowers, attracting insects to assist with pollination.
- Numerous small seeds are produced at the end of each summer.
- Only about 20% of all Ultricularia are aquatic species and the only one noted in our area is Ultricularia macrorhiza.
- We have spotted these in a few lakes and ponds, and we can reliably spot them in Pinantan Lake, Desmond Lake, and Glimpse Lake, but there are probably others too, but they are usually only spotted in summer when the flowers appear.