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Some like it, others find it disgusting. The slime mitt is an odd plant with carnivorous tendencies. But not to worry: its diet is restricted to rather small innocent insectoids, and poses no danger to anything bigger. Then again, some people are quite allergic to some constituents of its slime, but those who do become well aware of this after having been in contact with one just once, and will avoid further injury. The slime mitt's mucous membrane does not contain any structural fibres, but is formed anew every night. In the morning it unfolds its fingerlike sprouts from a ball of mucus, stretching a film of slime between them as it unwraps. During the day, some flies and other insectoids may get caught in the membrane, and spend the rest of the day, and of their lives, futilely buzzing. It may be just as well they do not scream. In the moist, nearly completely saturated wet atmosphere of the undergrowth the membrane will not dry out. When it becomes dark again, the fingers start curling up, taking the unlucky prey with it, to be encapsulated and digested. |
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Here is a Slime Mitt in its natural surroundings. See the coloured leaves just behind the transparent slime membrane? Yes, those are meant to attract the insectoids. Mimicry, that's what it is. Everything here is covered in moss, lichens or crumsles. The light is fairly typical too: no sharp contrasts, just muted colours. |
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