They use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they obtain from the environment.

The name Pinguicula is derived from a term coined by Conrad Gesner, who in his 1561 work entitled Horti Germaniae commented on the glistening leaves: "propter pinguia et tenera folia…" (Latin pinguis, "fat").

[3] They are typically located in regions where water is least seasonally plentiful, as too damp soil conditions can lead to rotting.

They are found in areas in which  nitrogenous resources are known to be in low levels, infrequent or unavailable, due to acidic soil conditions.

Temperate species often form tight buds (called hibernacula) composed of scale-like leaves during a winter dormancy period.

[6] The mechanistic actions that these plants use to lure and capture prey is through a means of sticky or adhesives substances that are produced by mucilage secreted by glands located on the leaf's surface.

This wet appearance probably helps lure prey in search of water (a similar phenomenon is observed in the sundews).

On contact with an insect, the peduncular glands release additional mucilage from special reservoir cells located at the base of their stalks.

Some species can bend their leaf edges slightly by thigmotropism, bringing additional glands into contact with the trapped insect.

[4] These enzymes, which include amylase, esterase, phosphatase, protease, and ribonuclease break down the digestible components of the insect body.

[4] Unlike many other carnivorous plant species, butterworts do not appear to use jasmonates as a control system to switch on the production of digestive enzymes.

[7][8][9] Of the eight enzymes identified in the digestive secretions of butterworts, alpha-amylase appears to be unique when compared to other carnivorous plants.

If moisture is present the silique closes, protecting the seed and opening again upon dryness to allow for wind dispersal.

[citation needed] The diet will range depending on the taxonomy and size of the prey due to the plant's retention ability.

The luring, retaining, and seizing of prey is the first steps in the feeding procedure for carnivorous plants; the result of the process is absorption and digestion of nutrients sourced from these food supplies.

However, they do have the ability of visual attraction of their colorful leaves, which will increase the likelihood of luring and capturing a specific taxa.

[11] [better source needed] Pinguicula capture their food source/ prey by means of the mucilaginous, sticky substances produced by their stalk glands on the top of their leaf.

Once the prey has become trapped in the peduncular glands, the sessile glands present will then produce enzymes needed to accomplish digestion and breaking down the digestible regions of the  prey for their nutrients; taking in the fluids of the food source by means of cuticular holes present on the leaf's surface.

Many members of the genus form offshoots during or shortly after flowering (e.g., P. vulgaris), which grow into new genetically identical adults.

Other species found in North America include P. caerulea, P. ionantha, P. lutea, P. macroceras, P. planifolia, P. primuliflora, P. pumila, and P. villosa.

Unlike many other carnivorous plants that require sunny locations, many butterworts thrive in part-sun or even shady conditions.

In a letter to Asa Gray dated June 3, 1874, Charles Darwin mentioned his early observations of the butterwort's digestive process and insectivorous nature.

Another important development in the history of butterworts is the formation of the International Pinguicula Study Group, an organization dedicated to furthering the knowledge of this genus and promoting its popularity in cultivation, in the 1990s.

According to Linnaeus, this property has long been known by northern Europeans, who applied butterwort leaves to the sores of cattle to promote healing.

[16] A detailed study of the phylogenetics of butterworts by Cieslak et al. (2005)[2] found that all of the currently accepted subgenera and many of the sections were polyphyletic.