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Can CPs get too much food?

Natalie

Natalie

OK, so here's the deal. Sometime within the past week a large deer died next to my driveway, and I'm just letting nature clean it up (don't worry, it's a long driveway so it's not right near the house). As you can guess, in addition to the dozens of vultures hanging out, there is also thousands upon thousands of flies and yellow jackets around the carcass. I was thinking about moving my CPs over there so they can feast on this bounty, but I'm worried they would catch too many insects... Is that possible? If they get more than they can digest, will the whole pitcher die? I have mainly sarrs but also a few VFTs and sundews. I'm thinking I might move my Drosophyllum out near the carcass since they have a high leaf turnover rate anyway.

---------- Post added at 12:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 PM ----------

OK, well I just put the dewy pine out there and some yellow jackets immediately came up and landed on the leaves, but they are too large and strong so they freed themselves immediately. There are plenty of smaller insects around though.
 
There are "built-in" safeguards as such. Full pitchers can't trap any more prey or often topple over from the weight. Dionaea traps are only good for a limited amount of closures. The glands on sundews seem to have a limit to them too. And "over" fed plants often produce smaller traps a more root/rhizome growth. If you over fertilize Nepenthes they stop producing pitchers completely. There is anecdotal evidence that well fed Dionaea and Drosera are less red than "starving" ones due to lesser need to attract prey.
 
LOL! Pretty much it's a human problem!
 
Thanks for the replies guys... I think I might put them out there for a little bit to see how many flies they can catch (I'll have to bring them back to the house at night because raccoons will eat them).
 
I have a few sarrs that I've had outside this summer. One definitely had pitchers choked with bugs this year, and I did notice that those pitchers would rot away at the spot of the mass. That said, it also regrew way more than it lost, so I don't think that in the end it was bad for the plant. I didn't have that trouble with my purps or psittacina. It seems to have only happened with my upright sarr. not sure the variety.
 
My purpurea are right next to a wasp nest it doesn't bother them (of course the purp pitchers have fat foopas so they can hold a lot :p )

Most of my other sarr pitchers died from overeatin, but are producing twice as many pitchers as before!
 
Here's a shot I just took of my Drosophyllum... As you can see, it did quite well next to the deer. My other CPs seem to be successful as well, I could hear some buzzing coming from the pitchers as I was carrying them back to the house.

 
You know you are a carnivorous plant geek when....


You are carrying your plants over to a rotting deer carcass for feeding time.

:p

Awesome!

:banana2:
 
That thing is loaded with fly carcasses!
 
  • #10
Carnivorous plant geek? Me? I'm honored!

Hahaha, I think it was the honey scent that lured them in. I've noticed that Drosophyllum always seems to have way more insects on it than Drosera (not just mine, anywhere I've seen them for sale together), and I think it's because of the way it smells. Although how the insects smelled the honey with a rotting deer next to it, I'm not sure...
 
  • #11
You think it would be like trying to mask fox urine with lilacs, but I guess not. Maybe they got their fill of salty and wanted something sweet.
 
  • #12
Natalie said:
Carnivorous plant geek? Me? I'm honored!

Hahaha, I think it was the honey scent that lured them in. I've noticed that Drosophyllum always seems to have way more insects on it than Drosera (not just mine, anywhere I've seen them for sale together), and I think it's because of the way it smells. Although how the insects smelled the honey with a rotting deer next to it, I'm not sure...
Click to expand...

"You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"

Yep Drosophyllum seems to be one plant that catches insects really well. But cant seem to hold the larger ones like yellow jackets.

DSC_00040001_12.jpg
 
  • #13
*drool*

Hey, how are you growing that in hot, humid Hawaii?
 
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