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My Nepenthes Ventrata has suddenly become the center of attention today for a colony of small Ants. They are sucking up the sugar exuded by the nectar glands found on various parts of the plant. The peristome also secretes a sugary nectar; strategic to the luring and capture of the insects. Several times today I watched the ants working on the plant and I would say that 80% of the ants that explored the peristome eventually fell into the pitcher! One of these pitchers had at least fifty ants in it by 7PM this evening. Yikes!
The first ant falls in at the 45 second mark, watch for it! (and at least two more at 3:36 and 4:41)
My Nepenthes Ventrata has suddenly become the center of attention today for a colony of small Ants. They are sucking up the sugar exuded by the nectar glands found on various parts of the plant. The peristome also secretes a sugary nectar; strategic to the luring and capture of the insects. Several times today I watched the ants working on the plant and I would say that 80% of the ants that explored the peristome eventually fell into the pitcher! One of these pitchers had at least fifty ants in it by 7PM this evening. Yikes!
The first ant falls in at the 45 second mark, watch for it! (and at least two more at 3:36 and 4:41)