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Post by Plocket on Sept 24, 2006 13:04:27 GMT
We've had a Venus Fly Trap for a while now and I've never seen it eat anything - so I caught a daddy-long-legs and fed it to the plant. It closed up and then a day or so later opened again! It seems to have rejected it's food! Do I need to start worrying?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2006 14:12:27 GMT
LOL no Plocket don't worry - I think that maybe the daddy long legs was a little too large for the trap - the plant doesn't really eat flies - it sort of sucks them dry  Next time try feeding it a small fly - but never one killed by insecticide  |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 24, 2006 19:40:58 GMT
Thanks Rita! I never use insecticide but we do have some brilliant hand-shaped plastic fly swats that we bought in Belgium for 30 cents each!!! We haven't had a fly in the house for ages though - how long can they go without food? This one hasn't been fed for a while now!!! |
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Post by lottielady on Sept 24, 2006 21:04:58 GMT
Plocket do you ever get fruit flies in your compost bin? If you do you could sit the plant in the top of the bin for 10 mins!
LL x
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2006 21:21:06 GMT
Plocket - I've got no idea. I keep mine in the conservatory - there always seems to be a few flies in there, so I don't think mine go hungry LOL. So what do you do with the flies you swat? Perhaps you could feed them to your fly trap. Or perhaps put it in your compost bin as LL has suggested  - I wonder how many it could eat in 10 mins ;D |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 25, 2006 7:26:55 GMT
I like the idea of putting it in the compost bin - that's inspired Lottie Lady!!! I haven't swatted any flies for ages now Rita but I'm keeping an eye out for them around the house now!!! |
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Post by lottielady on Sept 25, 2006 9:16:31 GMT
Well I thought it could have lunch and still be cosy at the same time - you may have to make it a little coat for when the weather turns chilly though Plocket! LL x  |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 25, 2006 10:34:05 GMT
You are BONKRS!!!!! Px |
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Post by lottielady on Sept 26, 2006 13:08:11 GMT
Me? Never!!!  LL x |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Sept 26, 2006 17:25:13 GMT
Oh yes you are ;D
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Post by Plocket on Sept 26, 2006 17:45:39 GMT
It always helps!!!!! |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 27, 2006 13:09:00 GMT
Ok! I put Milo in the garden for a couple of days (well it's been nice and sunny!) and he's caught some flies!!! I think at least two of the traps have something in them but will have to wait a day or so to see whether the unused ones open. I think he quite liked it outside!!!
I didn't put him in the compost bin though LL - I'm going to save that pleasure for the Butterwort. At the moment the bin is topped with spent compost so there aren't many flies, but my kitchen bucket is about ready to be emptied so that will have the flies swarming in!!!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2006 13:34:43 GMT
I bet Milo thought it was his birthday LOL ;D
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Post by Plocket on Sept 27, 2006 13:38:15 GMT
and Christmas combined I think!!! ;D
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Post by Plocket on Sept 27, 2006 15:03:09 GMT
I've just counted - it's had six flies!!! I could see them as shadows through the traps. That should keep Milo going for a while!!!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2006 15:17:31 GMT
Until Christmas I reckon Plocket LOL ;D
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Post by Plocket on Sept 27, 2006 15:59:03 GMT
Wow! That's a relief Rita - thank you!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2006 17:01:47 GMT
Don't be surprised if the traps turn black and die - it's quite normal Just cut them off. I've been told that VFT's shouldn't be allowed to flower  |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 27, 2006 17:47:04 GMT
Oh they've gone black in the past and I've ignored them - I'll cut them off in future. I've never seen flowers though - if I do I'll snip them off too!!! Thanks Rita!
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Post by Jonah on Sept 27, 2006 18:04:35 GMT
I used to have a fly eater, not a venus fly trap, but the one with the tubey funnel things [?] I did wonder whether rather than just trapping the flies, was it encouraging flies to visit?
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Post by Plocket on Sept 27, 2006 18:38:51 GMT
A pitcher plant? I don't know about them but I really don't think that VFTs or Butterworts encourage flies. I think pitcher plants are fab and am thinking about getting one someday. I'm just not sure which one and what location I should put it in!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2006 21:15:46 GMT
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Post by Jonah on Sept 27, 2006 22:58:29 GMT
That's the one, pitcher plant. Got it at Cambridge Strawberry Fair, but didn't look after it very well. Maybe I wasn't fated to have meat eating plants, being a semi veggie!
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Post by Plocket on Sept 28, 2006 8:02:55 GMT
Thanks Rita - you are tempting me!!! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2006 9:07:43 GMT
There's something quite satisfying in watching a plant eat fly - it brings out the devil in me  |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 28, 2006 13:22:10 GMT
PML Rita! I find it all a bit gory but I guess nature can be like that!!! I'm thinking of getting a sundew now - have you got one and if so how's it doing?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2006 14:45:58 GMT
I bought a sundew last year and it is still doing fine. |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 28, 2006 14:55:56 GMT
So what's your fave carnivorous plant then Rita?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2006 15:01:58 GMT
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Post by Plocket on Sept 28, 2006 15:05:41 GMT
COOL!!!
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- I wonder how many it could eat in 10 mins ;D
