To much bugs?

[Brolloks]

Hi all,

I've got some plants that I grow outside and I have been noticing that my D. Binata's are catching ridiculous amount of bugs, it's almost as if the plants are attracting the bugs. There are two types of bugs that I have noticed. A small sized fly and another type of flying insect. I've got a few other drosera growing along side my Binata's but for some reason the bugs favour the Binata's.

My question, could all these bugs getting stuck to the leaves cause the leaves to die? I have noticed that some of the leaves look like they got burned where the bugs are attached and some of the leaves that have not even fully unfurled have died as well. I have seen Beta fish food burn Drosera before but it's the first time I see bugs doing it as well.

Photos:

Thanks.

 

[Cthulhu138]

Generally, the more they catch the faster the leaves will die off. The plants should compensate for this though by putting out far more new leaves than normal due to the high nutrient load from all the captured prey.

 

[SubRosa]

The only time I've noticed insects being a detriment to plants is if conditions allow the bugs to fungus before the plant can finish them.

 

[Dexenthes]

Ravenous dews you got there! I agree with Cthulu, even if a leaf or two dies, it will even out in the long-run because the root stock will be beefy as heck with all that food at its disposal.

 

[fredg]

Hi all,

...............it's almost as if the plants are attracting the bugs.

Well it would, it's what they do.

Do you have any better photos? The leaves with not a lot of prey on don't look as if they have much mucilage on them.

 

[Brolloks]

Well it would, it's what they do.

Do you have any better photos? The leaves with not a lot of prey on don't look as if they have much mucilage on them.

Hi,

Here are some more photos, I've only got a cellphone to take photos so can't really get those awesome close-ups.

Regards

 

[fredg]

Thanks for those extra photos. There's a bit more mucilage than first appeared. You must be approaching the tail of your growing season too, that has to be taken into account.

 

[Brolloks]

I think another contributing factor is the heat during the day. It's been really hot these past few weeks 90F+

 

[fredg]

If with low humidity yes

 

[charlie]

With all those bugs you should get tons of flowers!

 

[Brolloks]

With all those bugs you should get tons of flowers!

That is very true, the red Multifida had an insane amount of flowers and not to mention the seed amount I got from it Largest amount of seed I have collected from any of my plants so far.

Check out this long flower stalk: