Re: Fungus gnats

Clarke Brunt (CLARKE@lsl.co.uk)
Mon, 18 Oct 1993 11:36:39 +0000

Drosera or Pinguicula sound just the thing for fungus gnats. I've
heard said that if providing humidity is a problem, then the flat
rosette type of Drosera (e.g. aliciae etc.) may be better than those
that wave their tentacles in the air (capensis, binata).

I can see the moranensis/caudata type of Pinguicula becoming
popular as a house plant - it flowers nearly all year, seems
foolproof to cultivate (just stand in rainwater, maybe tolerates
alkaline water too), doesn't mind if it receives fertilizer (indeed
may grow better), and is easy to propagate by division or from leaf
cuttings (must be small leaves from winter rosette though). What
induces winter rosette formation? Mine hardly bothered last winter.

Sarracenia and Darlingtonia are good for the larger flying insects.
I defy most flies to spend more than a few minutes in the same
room as these without getting trapped. Sometimes wasps are able to
bite holes in the pitchers and escape. Do people in other countries
(than England) have this problem with either the same or other
insects?