Nepenthes x Mixta with guest at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. Nepenthes are carnivorous pitcher vines native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. They make up for the poor nitrogen content of the local soil by trapping and digesting insects. When I shot this photo, I was initially a little annoyed by the stray rubbish that distracted from the beautiful colors of the pitcher rim. However, on closer inspection, I realized that the litter was really what appears to be a roach wing. On even closer inspection, I realized that the roach was still there, clinging for dear life wedged underneath the rim of the pitcher while attempting to avoid the slippery interior surface and the ensuing digestive death. Ironically, sometimes the imperfect pictures are the really interesting ones.
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