Re: defunct drosera, hungry Nepenthes

Steven Klitzing (stevek@informix.com)
Thu, 25 May 1995 08:58:43 -0700

Hi Yassir:

I have a simple way to collect insects to feed my Nepenthes.
When I want bugs, I go to my Smith and Hawken composter, move some of the compost away from the top of the heap and find all kinds of sow bugs, stink bugs, etc. to catch and feed to the Nepenthes. In addition, there are enough tiny flies and such that I can put my Drosera plants into the composter for 15 minutes, and then pull them out and return them to the greenhouse. The Drosera end up getting their leaves covered with all the tiny flying insects. A compost heap like that will provide bugs year round. If you can't find bugs, tell your wife, and she'll find them and leave them out for you after she squashes them. At the risk of sounding sexist, women have much better eyes for spotting unwanted insect intruders than men do. I ought to know, if there's a spider in the house, my wife will see it and tell me to get it. Spiders make good food for Drosera, so do flies. Bugs, crickets, sow bugs, stink bugs, and other crawly things are good to feed to Nepenthes. You can even eyedr
opper egg white into a N

epenthes pitcher and that will feed it, too. You know, I think most of
us are still 10 years old at heart as we are still catching and
squashing bugs. In a way, that's very healthy to be this young at
heart.

---Steve

---Steve