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Bugs in my (wine) cellar?!? * Photos

Hello to everyones!
I was so happy about my new project as I found that after more than one month someone is eating my Nepenthes! I have damages only on little and medium Nepenthes...they did not seem to have touch the big briggsiana....maybe it is not so tasty for them! ;)

What it does surprise me is that there should not be any bugs in the Wine cellar or at least not any insect that can damage plants! Don't you thing?

Do you have any idea of what is going to eat my plants?
It seems to be something little.... I hope that it is only one bug and that it will fall catched into one of my plants!

What would you do if you would have the same problem?

I dont' think that ants or butterflies do this....or? Maybe maggosts or something similar?
Should I put lots of drosera into my cellar in order to kill this thing? I think that it comes out only while lights are off....


Any experiences or ideas? I live in Italy!

Bye!

Mr_Aga

cantina3.jpg

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Is it possible some slug or snail eggs could have gotten into the potting media you use?
 
Hello ChunkyHunks!
The potting media? Could be...why not....but the plants are not from new arrival. I had them one month into my cellar and nothing happened.

I HAVE AN IDEA : if I find some SPIDERS outside and put them on the plants?

SECOND IDEA : I could put some Droseras between the plants in order to try to get rid of the BUG?
 
It probably wouldn't hurt to put the drosera in there. As for the spiders, I wouldn't go through the trouble until you know what you are dealing with. If they are doing the damage at night, then I say go down there with a flashlight at night and try to catch the culprit.
 
I actually saw bugs like that in my nepenthes enclousure flying around whenever I spray my plants. I haven't yet seen any bite marks on any of my plants and trust me....I have some real small plants including some seedlings. Good luck finding them Mr. Aga. You have spectacular plants there. Hope u find the culprit and condemn it to death in that "toilet bowl plant's pitcher". :p

BTW....I have put some spiders with my neps. THey do no damage to the plants....except from the fact that they build webs all over the plants...especially the smaller one...but I never saw any bad effects. I put this very big 2 inch spider that i found in there....but i can't find it anymore. :(
 
going by the bite marks on the leaf its likely something with well developed strong jaws, snail or slug is unlikely.....guessing cricket or grasshopper type critter......wouldnt rule out mice nibbling on them either....i have had that happen before......except mine preferred rare Utrics for their salad over the neps..
 
Yesterday I went to do some job in my cellar and maybe I have disturbed its peace because at least this morning when i went to give a look with lamps off and a little led lamp in my hand I did not see any more bites or bug.
Anyway i will check often and maybe put some drosera and spider in it.After all it is not a stupid idea.
I will also spray more often and much water with the hope to disturb or kill the bug.
Promise that I will keep you informed.
I never though that I would have a problem like this in a cellar!
MrAga
italy
 
Actually MrAga I am surprised too of the bugs. Basements and cellars would probably be most prone to bugs. My VFT's have naturally caught 3 earwigs and my pygmy sundews have succumbed a blue bottle fly all by themselves (it was a single scorpioides). There are also quite a few spiders around. The bugs I have really been getting annoyed with is pill bugs or wood lice. During summer they are common in basements and they have driving me crazy. The plants are fine...as they haven't been attacking them...but they are useless to feed as they stink and the plants don't seem to like them. The one big scare was I saw a dying weevilabout the size of a small fly next to my setup. I freaked out. Looks like it got tired by flying around the light and hitting it with its head....but nothing seems to be showing any damage...so I hope there aren't any weevils here any more.
 
Vraev : Tonight I have sprayed a "Bayer Provado Plus" product that will work for :
- Aphips
- Phytometra gamma
- metafalca

So...I meens...those are the most common parassites....let's see.
It is not easy to look again the plants and to facalize myself on the "new" damages day x day.
I am taking photos so that I can compare those every day and to check what changes.

Let's Hope!

Bye!

Mr_Aga
Italy
 
  • #10
This could be unlikely, but I was looking through one of my plant books, and a pest called an earwig showed up. I had not know that these could be pests, but the book says:

"Outdoor as well as indoor plants can be affected. They are rarely seen in daytime but at night they chew leaves and flowers, causing ragged holes and edges. Check for them at night - they hide under leaves and flowers - pick off and destroy them."

I know that earwigs often can be found in dark places, such as a wine cellar. This probably isn't what you have, but it was just a thought. Although, the fact that you know your bugs come out at night fit this one's description, as well as rattler's "big jaws" thing.

If you are not familiar with this bug, here is a photo I got from searching Google.

25020137.JPG

They have that characteristic pincher.

-Ben
 
  • #11
Ok!this is what I am also doing!in my cellar lights are off during day and on during night.
If it is not a worn I also know the insect you showed me.
From what I know it uses to eat plants just in case he is hungry.maybe my case?
I will let you know!
Thanks for the tips!
MrAGA
 
  • #13
Hello CP30!
Thanks for your tips because I made some studies this night.
I went into my cellar and took some photos of the plants.
I also put a spider inside.Tomorrrow I will put a second spider into cellar habitat.
Look the photos I have included.

I though it could be a grasshopper....they eat plants!
I also though it was a Cockroach....they use to eat / divore everything....even paper when they are hungry!

But what you told me about those DRain Fly could be real ...because they can develope in very short time and do damage to the plants!

Look the photos of the dirty water...so I will let evaporate all water in my pots in order to have the place "clean" and not suitable for their larves,ok?

Take a look to the photos and tell me what you think!

Thank you very much!

Mr_Aga

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drain_fly.jpg

http://www.piantecarnivore.org/pics/agosto2008/cella.jpghttp://www.piantecarnivore.org/pics/agosto2008/cellar1.jpg
 
  • #14
Hi Folks!
New UPDATE!
Yesterday I decided to spend more than an hour to empty all dirty water and all the algae around the pots and the recipients in order to avoid at least larvae reproduction.

This is how my cellar terrarium looked like before and after :

prima.jpg

dopo.jpg


As you can see yourself all is more clean and there is no more water inside the plants....for Nepenthes do not matter.

The evening after I went again in my cellar and with suprice I noticed one walking on the contenitors....:
beccato_pappatacio.jpg


Of course I have killed him!
Anyway I have not to expect no more damages for the plants...but at least I can hope not to have anymore additional eggs in the water and new larvae.

The latin name of this insect is :

Phlebotomus papatasi

and in Italy it lives common in the cellars.

So CP30 : I have to say you THANK YOU from all my Heart!
Really! Man..having a so nice place where growing Nepenthes and to could not use it would be really a shame!
I will you keep all informed!

Bye!

Mr_Aga
Milan - ITALY



 
  • #15
Slugs would eat from the center of the leaf.

I am not trying to say you have roaches, but they can chew on plants too. Happens in my GH sometimes.
 
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