THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, July 22, 2010 ENJOYTHEWATER Get the most out of NH’s Lakes!


IS THERE A CARNIVOROUS PLANT GROWING IN YOUR LAKE?


by Andrea LaMoreaux NH Lakes Education Director


Yes, it is true—many


of New Hampshire’s ap- proximately 1,000 lakes are home to a carnivo- rous plant that traps, kills, and digests its victims. Its name is ‘bladderwort’—a somewhat sinister name which was derived from the fact that the plant has bladder-like structures and from the old English word ‘wort’ which meant ‘plant.’


Don’t be alarmed—blad- derwort is not a “man- eater.” Instead, bladderwort


feasts on microscopic aquatic creatures in the water. Lucky for us, it has a big appetite for very small animals without backbones, including in- sects, insect larvae, and other microscopic animals which float through the water. Bladderwort’s ex- ceptional predatory skills provide it essential nutri- ents, allowing it to survive in many of New Hamp- shire’s relatively clean and low-nutrient lakes.


Here are some bladder- wort facts: Scientific Name: Utricu- laria, spp. Status: Native (a plant


that occurs naturally in the place where it evolved). Approximately 10 species of bladderwort are found in New Hampshire. Habitat: Lakes, ponds,


slow-moving streams and rivers, bogs.


Height: 2 – 3 feet. Distinguishing feature:


A single plant can con- tain hundreds of flattened, pear-shaped “bladders” ranging in diameter from 2 millimeters (the size of a pinhead) to about 4 milli- meters (the size of a BB).


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Underwater, due to its fine leaf structure, the native bladderwort plant can look like exotic variable milfoil. Photo source: www.mainevolunteerlakemonitors.org/mciap/ herbarium/Bladderworts.php.


Stem: Long, slender, flexible, branched, loose- ly anchored to substrate and typically becoming detached from roots and free-floating as mats in a waterbody. Leaves: Alternate (one


leaf at each nodule), fila- mentous, finely-forked, with attached “bladders”. Flower: Stalks occurring


at regular intervals along stem. Each stalk bearing 6 – 20 small, pink to yellow “snapdragon-like” flow- ers and emerging several inches out of the water or mud. Flowering Period: June into September. Fruit: Capsule contain- ing many seeds. Value: Provides food and


cover for fish. Bladderwort has a


unique feature allowing See LAKES on 34


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