Positioning bugs

[jmy]

I just got my first VFT a few days ago, so I apologize if this is a silly question. I placed a fly in a trap, but it didn't quite get to the bottom. The top didn't really close on the fly. The trap has now turned black just where the fly is. Other traps on my plant that have died seem to have just turned black all around. Is it bad if a bug is not positioned right in the trap? Will a trap die while eating?

 

[eplants02]

First off jmy ``Welcome to the forum.''
It all depends on the size of the trap and the insect your providing it. If the bug is too large for the trap, the trap won't completely close. But the trap will continue to digest the bug. The openings of the trap will cause the outside air to come in and cause the plant to rot. Killing the trap.

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

jmy,

Welcome to the forum

!

I've had my traps do the same thing. The traps can only close 4 or 5 times before they wear out so usually an old trap that has caught it's limit does this, if it closes at all. The only time the position of an insect in a trap may cause a problem is if it is toward an outside edge of the trap and the trap is not able to seal around the insect. This allows fungus and bacteria to enter the trap and will usually result in the trap dying. This is also the reason you don't want to feed it bugs that are to big to fit completely into the trap. If a trap dies you can cut it off where it attaches to the leaf. This allows the plant to use the leaf for photosynthesis. Don't trim the traps off though, until they have turned black as they can still do photosynthesis also even if they can't catch bugs.

Have fun