The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests prey, usually insects. Although many carnivorous plants exist, the Venus flytrap is often seen as a mysterious and unnatural organism. Some people find it difficult to believe that a plant can act like an animal, reacting to its food. In fact, the Venus flytrap has been characterized in many comic books and television shows as a hungry monster consuming humans, pets, and other animals. Although these characterizations are completely unrealistic, they show that people are amazed by plants that trap their own food.