Greenhouse Pesky Pest Control

Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula)

I have two venus flytraps in the Priory greenhouse.  They are working plants (standard terms and conditions) and help to keep down the insect numbers (I don’t use any pesticides).  You can buy yellow, sticky sheets to hang up in greenhouses.  Attracted by the bright yellow colour, flies etc investigate, get stuck and perish.  I’ve used them in the past but   got too upset when a hoverfly or a ladybird or (please, please no) a lacewing got caught.   This way, whilst the flytraps are indiscriminate with what they ‘eat’, it seems, well,  part of the natural order.  That’s what I reckon, anyhow. Insect dies, plants flourishes.   I just wish that they would digest their prey rather better than they do.  (See mummified fly remains above).  Reminds me of a someone I used to know who always ate with their mouths open.  Not good.  As they grow, I hope to divide  them and so increase my team.  They are pretty damn good at doing what they are designed to do.I used to work in a Garden Centre where we displayed Venus flytraps on the counter.  And customers would very, very often stick their big fat fingers into the traps.  We would keep a wooden ruler behind the cash till with which to whack the knuckles of  offenders. Brutal but effective.   I have four sarracenias in the greenhouse.  They were bought cheaply and unnamed so I haven’t a clue as to what species/variety they are.  And like the flytraps they do a grand job in keeping down insect numbers.

You can see here the downward facing hairs that make it difficult
for any trapped insects to climb out.

Easy to grow and easy to divide.  In a few weeks I will increase the numbers of these little helpers too.