Carnivorous plant question

[Zoi2]

I would like to put a few orchids out on the screen porch this summer, but I'm not crazy about mosquitos in the humidity trays and I really don't want to add a chemical treatment to the water.
Are there any carnivorous plants that can be grown on a windowsil with about 50-60% humidity that like mosquitos?
Joann

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If the windowsill has bright sun exposure, then any one will do.

I love pitcher plants from the genus Serracenia, but Nepenthes are more collector's items. They trap all sorts of bugs.

Sundews are fun, as are Venus Fly Traps. They aren't as efficient with bug catching by the numbers though.

There are others, but I've never grown them, (I haven't grown Nepenthes either).

They're bog plants so they must be kept wet at all times. Salt content in the water must be low. I grew the Serracenia pitcher in moss and it got big and produced the strangest looking red and green bell-shaped flower.

[Andrew]

Generally, I don't find many mosiquitoes are captured by my carnivorous plants. I find the occassional mosquito trapped in larger Pinguicula species like Ping. gigantea as well as VFT's and the odd Drosera but the low number makes me think that these insects were trapped because they were careless rather than attracted to the plants. You could use mosquito dunks. These are simply cakes of Bacillus thuringiensis sv. israeliensis spores (a bacteria that is pathogenic towards mosquito larvae). The are specific and not toxic to other organisms.

[Donald]

Get some mosquito dunks at any big box store. They are chemical free as they are used by people, including myself to keep the mosquito population down in water gardens and fish ponds. Simply break one up and keep it in your tray. Then you may put them outside.

[Royal]

...or you could just let the tray dry completely once per week.

[Zoi2]

Thank you for your responses. I've used the dunks before in my lily pond, I just thought it would be fun if there was a plant that would take care of the pesky boogers. I guess I'll use the dunks and get a plant or two for the careless ones
Joann

[oddworld]

sundews will catch mosquitoes.

[Zoi2]

Originally Posted by oddworld

sundews will catch mosquitoes.

Is there a specific one or will they all catch them?
Joann

[nepenthes]

your best bet is probably one of the larger forked varieties like d. dichotoma. i keep them indoors and they catch way more bugs than my nepenthes.

[Zoi2]

Thanks nepenthes, I'm not familiar with d. dichotoma but will look them up.
Joann