The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has accused two people of stealing nearly 600 Venus flytraps from nature conservancy land in southeastern North Carolina.
The meat-eating plants are native to the region and only grow within a 100-mile radius of Wilmington, and stealing them is considered a felony.
Officers got a call in mid-February about two people digging for flytraps in Boiling Spring Lakes in Brunswick County, and found the suspects at a nearby gas station.
A search of their backpacks showed evidence that they dug up more than 590 plants illegally.
The names of the suspects won’t be released until arrest warrants are served.