Re: Feeding pitcher plants

WELCH@NIEHS.NIH.GOV
Thu, 16 Jun 1994 12:06:44 -0500 (EST)

Hi Robert,

So you've got a lot of hungry mouths to feed have you. If the pitchers
are like _S. flava_, part of the trapping mechanism is the inability of
prey to turn around once inside the pitcher. The insect goes/falls into
the tube which tapers down towards the base. Struggles just wedge the
prey in tighter, but for larger insects they get stuck before reaching
the very bottom of the pitcher. As long as the bugs you're feeding don't
block the pitcher mouth, the pitcher can probably handle the rest.

The funniest prey/cp combination is still VFT's catching daddy-long-legs;
2-3" of legs sticking out of a 1/2" trap. Say "Hi" to the kids.

Jeff in NC