Bugs

[rottingfox]

*I already asked the terariam folks this question....but i figured i'd ask all you vft experts*
(i have 2 vft's in a terrarium, that i've had for about 3 weeks). after i bought them i notaced 1 or 2 little bugs flying around. But after i placed them in my terarium (still in there original pots) the bugs seem to have increased in numbers and size. They dont seem to be paying much attention to the vft's, but there increasing numbers have got me concerned.
what should i do?
how harmful can this be for the vft's?
will a sundew help my problem?

(the bugs look like little nats)
any info would be helpful.
-kelly

 

[PlantAKiss]

Hi Kelly

Welcome to the forums.

The bugs are probably fungus gnats and they can multiply. They won't really provide any food for your VFT since they are too small to trigger the traps. You might want to get a sundew or a butterwort (if you don't already have any) as they are much better at handling very tiny bugs...they are both pretty good at catching the little buggers. Butterworts would have a larger surface for catching since their entire leaf surface (and even flower stem) is sticky.

Other alternative would be one of those gross sticky tapes you can buy at the hardware store which are real good at catching flies and gnats...they just look icky. I don't like to spray insecticides since that sprays on everything around the area.

Make sure you have some air circulation in your terrarium to prevent mold and fungus.

Hope that helps...if not, keep asking!

Suzanne

 

[rottingfox]

thank you, that helps. i'll probably have to get the nasty bug tape, because i unfortudently live in phoenix AZ(a flytraps worst nightmare). and no one seems to have any (or live ones).

-but thanks for the tips. 8