You may have noticed that the covers of Semiosis and Usurpation depict actual Earth plants. The tentacle on Semiosis belongs to a sundew, probably a Drosera filiformis. The leafy traps of a Venus fly trap, Dionaea muscipula, hang menacingly on the cover of Usurpation.
Since I love growing plants, I headed to my local garden center, one of Chicago’s best, and got several carnivores from its impressive selection to grace my home. These plants need plenty of sunshine, which I can easily provide.
They also need to eat, and my home doesn’t have bugs, so I visited a pet store. The reptile and fish section astounded me with the enormous variety of food insects, dead and alive. I bought some freeze-dried bloodworms, recommended for carnivorous plants. I’m also cultivating fruit flies from grocery-store bananas. Venus fly traps prefer food that moves.
I can’t decide if I feel murderous or nurturing.
Carnivory is not the worst thing a plant can do, according to the rainbow bamboo in Usurpation — but carnivory lets me actively participate in the doings of my plants.
Semiosis 