A Venus Fly trap has three different kinds of plastids have been observed in Venus flytrap, each in cells which perform a unique function in the plant. In the same cells, however, there are other organelles (for example, mitochondria) which are the same in all cells of the plant and similar to those in cells of most other plants. Some facts about the Venus flytrap. Venus flytraps grow to around 5 inches (13 centimeters) in diameter. Each plant usually has about six stems with hinged leaves. The edges of the leaves are lined with "teeth," and the leaves fit together like a clamshell. When the leaves snap shut, they form a trap. The Venus flytrap, a small perennial herb, is one of the most widely recognized carnivorous plant species on Earth. It occupies distinct longleaf pine habitats in the Coastal Plain and Sandhills of North and South Carolina. The traps of Venus flytraps only turn that intense color if they are getting plenty of bright light. With less than bright light, they revert to a light green color, perhaps with only a smattering of red on the lobes. Then the plant produces a new trap from its underground stems. The lifespan of the Venus flytrap isn't known for certain, but it's been estimated to live up to 20 years and possibly longer. The Venus flytrap gets some of its nutrients from the soil, but to supplement its diet, the plant eats insects and arachnids. Ants, beetles, grasshoppers, flying insects, and spiders are all victims of the flytrap. It can take a Venus flytrap three to five days to digest an organism, and it may go months between meals. The Venus flytrap digests its prey using enzymes produced by special glands. From the third signal, the plant produces the hormone assonate after the fifth signal, the digestive glands that line the inside of the traps like turf are activated. Unlike most plants, Venus flytraps are carnivorous, which means they eat meat.