Self Defense For Plants

Many plants have a problem. They are nutritious and animals including insects want to eat them, but they can't protect themselves by running away. Plants have to find other ways of defending themselves.

In the episode "Mitey Trouble", Chelsea Chickpea explained how she uses chemical weapons against red-legged earthmites. Lots of plants use chemical weapons to make them taste bitter and to poison animals that try to eat them.

Some plants give off gases that repel insects. These gases are called "green volatiles".

Chemicals called isoflavones in many legumes make them taste bad, and the hairs on the leaves of chickpeas ooze out acids that repel most insects. (Did you know that the acids on the leaves of chickpeas can rot leather boots?)

Plants have other weapons as well. Tough leaves mean that sucking insects can't break through the surface to get to the juicy parts inside. Spines and prickles on a plant make it harder to eat as well.

Look at the plants around you. Find one that is good at defending itself.
Use your imagination to turn it into a character and write a short story about it.

read the Self Defence story from Surrey Downs Primary