White-Topped Pitcher Plants, Weeks Bay, Baldwin County, Alabama

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Read lots more about pitcher plants at this Wikipedia article, from which the following information was copied:

"Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap.  Foraging, flying or crawling insects such as flies are attracted to the cavity formed by the cupped leaf, often by visual lures such as anthocyanin pigments, and nectar bribes. The sides of the pitcher are slippery and may be grooved in such a way so as to ensure that the insects cannot climb out. They drown the insect, and the body of it is gradually dissolved."

When we were in Gulf Shores two years ago we visited the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog area in hopes that we would find the pitcher plants blooming or growing or something.  What we found was nothing.  Alas that year, we were just a few weeks too early and could not stay longer.

This year I had hoped with the extremely favorable weather, with all the flora blooming early that maybe I would get to see some plants alive and growing.  And, we did!  There were not a lot of the pitchers themselves, but the blooms! I had no idea what to expect, but, I did not expect these large (4 inches across minimum) dark red balls with pedals.  (Yes, I am fully aware that is not a biologically correct description, just my poor descriptive powers at work here.)

I took about 55 photos trying to capture them.  We were on a boardwalk, very few of the plants were blooming or growing and living close to the board walk.  Sony had a work out!  It was great fun and I enjoyed it to no end!

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