Successful fungus gnat traps - DIY project

[Leafmite]

Rosie, it is because of one of your posts recommending them that I bought a butterwort. I really love them! I grow a theobroma cacao (chocolate tree) that likes to sit in a pan of water and stay moist. The dirt is a breeding ground for fungus gnats. I never see them, though, except when I look at my butterworts. My butterworts bloom year round because of the good food!
I have a purple pitcher plant and there is always something floating in those murky depths....

[desertanimal]

Do those sundews do well with fruit flies? Every summer here we have a fruit fly problem and they drive me MAD landing in my drink in the evening. I usually use a yeast fly trap, but ultimately it's kind of gross and requires a lot if upkeep (it works better than a vinegar trap, but the flies will breed in there if you don't freeze them to kill them once a day). I would be pleased as punch to have a plant that would attract and eat fruit flies. I'd just have to feed it for the 9 months of the year here that it's too cold for fruit flies.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Rosie, it is because of one of your posts recommending them that I bought a butterwort. I really love them! I grow a theobroma cacao (chocolate tree) that likes to sit in a pan of water and stay moist. The dirt is a breeding ground for fungus gnats. I never see them, though, except when I look at my butterworts. My butterworts bloom year round because of the good food!
I have a purple pitcher plant and there is always something floating in those murky depths....

They really work well to keep them down My problem with the later ones I've tried has been greenfly. Greenfly don't get caught and kill the butterworths

Originally Posted by desertanimal

Do those sundews do well with fruit flies? Every summer here we have a fruit fly problem and they drive me MAD landing in my drink in the evening. I usually use a yeast fly trap, but ultimately it's kind of gross and requires a lot if upkeep (it works better than a vinegar trap, but the flies will breed in there if you don't freeze them to kill them once a day). I would be pleased as punch to have a plant that would attract and eat fruit flies. I'd just have to feed it for the 9 months of the year here that it's too cold for fruit flies.

Yes thy do, fruit flies get caught really well by them.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by desertanimal

Do those sundews do well with fruit flies?

I'd just have to feed it for the 9 months of the year here that it's too cold for fruit flies.

As Rosie said, Drosera ... generally speaking ... do quite well with fruit flies. Pings, on the other hand, don't -- fruit flies are too strong.

As far as needing to feed Drosera during the non-summer months ... actually, no, not really. Particularly if you keep them on a windowsill during the winter, it will likely be cool enough there that the plants will enter a semi-dormant state. Not a true dormancy, but just a state in which everything for them will slow down. For that matter, between the coolness and dry indoor air, dew production on the leaves may cease completely until temps and humidity go back up in the late spring.

[kindrag23]

@paul where Do you get yours from. I would love some

[Edward Brookes]

Thank you sooo much - I hate those creatures & the way they rot the mosses.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by kindrag23

@paul where Do you get yours from. I would love some

Both Drosera and Pings I have gotten via trade. I know my ping "herd" could use thinning out but don't believe the dews are there yet.

[kindrag23]

@paul okay. Well I found some nepanthe's online that look absolutely amazing...now its just convincing myself to order one. Lol. But so far no decent sized sun dews...

[Paul]

Originally Posted by kindrag23

@paul okay. Well I found some nepanthe's online that look absolutely amazing...now its just convincing myself to order one. Lol.

Make sure you research the neps before buying. Some species require highland conditions (cool with highs maxing out in the low 70's by day with nights down to the 50's or 60's), there are others that are lowlanders (those like it hotter). All require decent to high humidity as I recall (60% RH on up).

[desertanimal]

Thank you for all the information!