# Basin's carnivorous plants



## basin79

I've got quite a few of these. Here's a few pics I've just taken of some of them.

B52 VFT.


























You can clearly see the trigger hairs in this trap.








A little rosette sundew.




















Monkey cup.














Australian pitcher.

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## basin79

A video from this morning.

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## basin79



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## schmiggle

Which nepenthes have you got?

Also, you could definitely start a thread in the live plants section about these.

They are all looking quite nice

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## Ratmosphere

So beautiful.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Which nepenthes have you got?
> 
> Also, you could definitely start a thread in the live plants section about these.
> 
> They are all looking quite nice


It's a hybrid.

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## Paiige

These are super cool! Would you say they're harder to keep than normal plants? And this may be a stupid question but how does feeding usually work - I'm going to assume you don't just have flies living in your house.


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## basin79

Paiige said:


> These are super cool! Would you say they're harder to keep than normal plants? And this may be a stupid question but how does feeding usually work - I'm going to assume you don't just have flies living in your house.


VFT's and sundews are easy. They just need a sunny windowsill. The important part with carnivorous plants is rainwater. They NEED rainwater. Tap water doesn't work.

I put my plants out all day on sunny days (not many in the UK) and they catch their own food. Sundews will also catch the tiny flies that sneak in to the house.

That typed the video was in my animal room. I'd hatched a load of blue bottles and a lot got out.

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## Paiige

basin79 said:


> VFT's and sundews are easy. They just need a sunny windowsill. The important part with carnivorous plants is rainwater. They NEED rainwater. Tap water doesn't work.
> 
> I put my plants out all day on sunny days (not many in the UK) and they catch their own food. Sundews will also catch the tiny flies that sneak in to the house.
> 
> That typed the video was in my animal room. I'd hatched a load of blue bottles and a lot got out.


How would one handle the rainwater situation in the winter? Snow? Hubby has expressed his interest in VFTs but winter is a serious concern here.

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## schmiggle

You honestly probably have enough flies in your house for a sundew. Mine seems to subsist almost entirely on nearly microscopic gnat things that I only ever see on it.

I use a grow lamp because my windowsill isn't bright enough for sundews.

In addition to water you have to be careful about the soil--if it has too many nutrients most carnivorous plants will die (though there is one guy I know of who grew cephalotus in miracle gro peat moss, which is fertilized--cephalotus is a real oddball in many ways).

However, if you've got the right soil, light, and water, none of which are that hard to get, you're good to go on a lot of cp's (I hope I'm not just repeating basin here). The ones to watch out for are Darlingtonia, many nepenthes (esp. Ultra highland), heliamphora, and, to a lesser extent, cephalotus and tuberous sundews (the former have easy requirements but are often unforgiving, and the latter have odd seasonal requirements). If I haven't forgotten anything, everything else would be fine to start with. 

The only other thing to consider is space--nepenthes can get massive, and some sarracenia get 3 or more feet tall. But you ought to be fine for the most part, and if you're growing them outside for much of the year, it's less of an issue, obviously.

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## basin79

Paiige said:


> How would one handle the rainwater situation in the winter? Snow? Hubby has expressed his interest in VFTs but winter is a serious concern here.


Just get yourself a big water but or barrel that a downpipe goes into. It'll just fill up and will easily last you over winter.

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## schmiggle

Paiige said:


> How would one handle the rainwater situation in the winter? Snow? Hubby has expressed his interest in VFTs but winter is a serious concern here.


I just buy bottled distilled water, and have never had a problem after years of growing. You can also RO it yourself. In addition, some plants care more than others. My grandmother's friend has grown sarracenia for a long time in Georgia, and she waters them with a hose. I've also read that nepenthes are less picky.

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## Chris LXXIX

I love those Venus :-s

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## basin79



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## spotropaicsav

Nice pictures, we love sundews and butterworts in our house.

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## basin79

spotropaicsav said:


> Nice pictures, we love sundews and butterworts in our house.


I need to get myself a butterwort. Had a huge one many years ago but sadly lost it.

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## spotropaicsav

basin79 said:


> I need to get myself a butterwort. Had a huge one many years ago but sadly lost it.


Oh no what happened? I'm not great with carnivorous plants, but my kids love them. So far the butterworts have been least problematic.Do you keep any in your T enclosures?


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## basin79

spotropaicsav said:


> Oh no what happened? I'm not great with carnivorous plants, but my kids love them. So far the butterworts have been least problematic.Do you keep any in your T enclosures?


It got neglected during a house move. 

No I don't keep them in with my T's. I can't see it ever working for the plant. The T would set VFT's off and would constantly take the sticky off sundews and butterworts. 

Pitchers could possibly work with a Theraphosa sp though. They don't generally web alot or bulldoze substrate about. 

I'd sooner not do it though.

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## BCscorp

I have a carnivorous plant kit I am going to start up soon.


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## spotropaicsav

Paiige said:


> How would one handle the rainwater situation in the winter? Snow? Hubby has expressed his interest in VFTs but winter is a serious concern here.


We used distilled water for ours successfully. Tap will kill them, also we are in an ag area in California where there are many tap water problems


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## Trenor

Here are some old photos of a few pitcher plant flowers. We have a lot of them on the boggy inlet side of the lake near my house. I'll find a few VFT every once in a while but not as many as the PP. Mom used to keep a "Boggy" flowerbed on the edge of her yard with water lilies, VFTs and pitcher plants. It didn't look like much during the winter but in the spring and summer it was impressive.

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## schmiggle

I always love that carnivorous plants make flowers. They've really pulled one over on those poor bugs.

Very pretty flowers.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> I always love that carnivorous plants make flowers. They've really pulled one over on those poor bugs.
> 
> Very pretty flowers.


They only produce flowers to breed. They make them grow tall away from the dangerous parts so the pollinators can do their job safely.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> They only produce flowers to breed. They make them grow tall away from the dangerous parts so the pollinators can do their job safely.


Yes, I know. That's what's great about it. They snack on bugs the whole growing season, then when it's time to reproduce, the bugs propagate their own predators. The plants are careful to be nice to tge bugs just that once for the payoff down the road, and the bugs will never know what hit them.

It would be interesting to see how much the insects that pollinate cp's and their primary prey overlap.

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## basin79



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## schmiggle

Very nice! I'm jealous of that cephalotus--mine is still tiny and has no adult pitchers. 

Have you ever considered darlingtonia? They're generally known to be very, very hard, but it's supposed to be a climate problem, and Lancashire should have a perfect climate for them. Same with highland nepenthes.


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Very nice! I'm jealous of that cephalotus--mine is still tiny and has no adult pitchers.
> 
> Have you ever considered darlingtonia? They're generally known to be very, very hard, but it's supposed to be a climate problem, and Lancashire should have a perfect climate for them. Same with highland nepenthes.


I haven't know. I don't really like the look of them to be honest.


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## basin79



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## basin79



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## basin79



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## basin79



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## schmiggle

Well done! One of these days I'd like to grow CP's from seed, but I'm always frightened by how tiny the plants are, and how fragile I perceive them to be.


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Well done! One of these days I'd like to grow CP's from seed, but I'm always frightened by how tiny the plants are, and how fragile I perceive them to be.


I'm too impatient for that.

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## basin79



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## schmiggle

That D. binata is massive! Impressive

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> That D. binata is massive! Impressive


It's a giant form. Not sure if that's a genuine sub species or has been selectively bred.


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## schmiggle

Cultivar, produced by Peter D'amato. If I had to guess, not necessarily selectively bred, just the equivalent of a very tall person, but it's clonable because it's a plant.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosera_binata

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## basin79




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## spotropaicsav

schmiggle said:


> Cultivar, produced by Peter D'amato. If I had to guess, not necessarily selectively bred, just the equivalent of a very tall person, but it's clonable because it's a plant.
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosera_binata


Ooohh, same author as Savage Garden


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## schmiggle

spotropaicsav said:


> Ooohh, same author as Savage Garden


Yeah, he runs California carnivores, which is a great site. I wish they would do more nepenthes, though.


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## spotropaicsav

schmiggle said:


> Yeah, he runs California carnivores, which is a great site. I wish they would do more nepenthes, though.


My son has visited the local california carnivores near us a few times, hes a fan


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## schmiggle

spotropaicsav said:


> My son has visited the local california carnivores near us a few times, hes a fan


Pretty sure there's just one. I'm jealous that you're near it.


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## spotropaicsav

schmiggle said:


> Pretty sure there's just one. I'm jealous that you're near it.


He's the lucky one. His best friend has half of his room dedicated to carnivorous plants, and so my boy gets to go often with that family. One time he did gift me a butterwort
Have you ordered from them before?
I haven't but if you have I would like to know your experience


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## The Snark

spotropaicsav said:


> My son has visited the local california carnivores


Where is that? I know Huntington has a few.


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## spotropaicsav

Near Petaluma I believe


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## schmiggle

spotropaicsav said:


> He's the lucky one. His best friend has half of his room dedicated to carnivorous plants, and so my boy gets to go often with that family. One time he did gift me a butterwort
> Have you ordered from them before?
> I haven't but if you have I would like to know your experience


Yes, a few times. All of my experiences have been excellent.

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## basin79



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## basin79

Forked leaf sundew.
































Australian pitcher.

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## basin79



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## schmiggle

Very, very nice! The binata is producing copious dew and the Cephalotus is growing like a fiend. The latter is particularly impressive--how long have you been growing it for?


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Very, very nice! The binata is producing copious dew and the Cephalotus is growing like a fiend. The latter is particularly impressive--how long have you been growing it for?


A couple of years I think.


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## basin79

My forked leaf sundew looks so alien in black and white.

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## basin79

Wrong thread.

Doh!!!!!!!!!


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## schmiggle

Mein freund, I believe those should go in your spider thread, if they haven't yet.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Mein freund, I believe those should go in your spider thread, if they haven't yet.


Thank you. 

I honestly don't know how I do it. They where supposed to go in what's one good thing that has happened thread. What can I say, I'm dumb.

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## basin79

My Drosera binata aka forked leaf sundew. Up close these look so alien like. Particularly if you give them the black and white treatment.

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## pannaking22

I love _Cephalotus_, I'm really looking forward to getting one someday once I have a nice windowsill for it.

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## schmiggle

pannaking22 said:


> I love _Cephalotus_, I'm really looking forward to getting one someday once I have a nice windowsill for it.


Definitely one of my favorites, though it's pretty demanding in terms of light. You might try supplementing with light. Other than that, I haven't found mine nearly as finicky as they have a reputation for being. I wouldn't grow it in a terrarium, since I bet that the moisture and humidity in there are what usually kill them.


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## basin79

A new Cephalotus follicularis to replace my old 1 Pandora destroyed.

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## Andrea82

basin79 said:


> A new Cephalotus follicularis to replace my old 1 Pandora destroyed.


Jesus christ... A carnivorous plant that actually has fangs! Awesome. 
Is it hard to keep?

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## basin79

Andrea82 said:


> Jesus christ... A carnivorous plant that actually has fangs! Awesome.
> Is it hard to keep?


They're not hard to keep. You just have to have them on wet matting rather than sat in water like a VFT or Sundew say.

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## schmiggle

Andrea82 said:


> Jesus christ... A carnivorous plant that actually has fangs! Awesome.
> Is it hard to keep?


I'd add that if they go above about 28C during the day they like dropping down to 15-19 at night. Otherwise care is identical to a venus flytrap. Mine has probably tripled in diameter over the past year-year and a half, and I don't do anything other than water it nicely and keep it under bright lights. They even tell you when they want water by starting to close their pitchers.

You read all these horror stories about sudden deaths but I would guess that those are mostly people who keep them in terraria and overwater them. They're from Mediterranean climate bogs, they should be kept as close to being in open air as possible. 

The only other thing that's helped me has been keeping it in a fairly airy mix--the plantlet I got had been grown in California, where I presume it dries out quickly, but mine had grown straight to the bottom of the substrate and then spread out laterally, implying that it wasn't getting enough air. I've seen much nicer growth in long fiber sphagnum (had been living, but several drying cycles have killed it).

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## basin79

The biggest killer of carnivorous plants is without doubt tap water being used instead of rainwater. 

Of course pitchers shouldn't be stood in water and the monkey cups like various temps depending on if they're high or lowland types. But I'd bet most VFT/sundew/butterworts die due to being given tap water.

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## The Seraph

These are all so beautiful! Which would be a good one to start with?

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## basin79

The Seraph said:


> These are all so beautiful! Which would be a good one to start with?


It all depends on you. Personally a VFT is "the" carnivorous plant. I've got 2 new ones I'm just waiting for them to sort themselves out after being in the post. They're honestly beautiful to look at. 

Sundews are absolutely beautiful plants too. Plus they're the ones that catch the most house flies for me in summer. They get the little annoying ones as well as the bigger blue bottles. 

Butterworts are good for little flies. They have large flat leaves that are like a natural fly paper. Their flowers are quite large too. 

Monkey cups can be more demanding with regards to their temps (here in the UK) but really are a show stopper. 

Trumpet pitchers are easy and come in loads of different looks.

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## The Seraph

basin79 said:


> It all depends on you. Personally a VFT is "the" carnivorous plant. I've got 2 new ones I'm just waiting for them to sort themselves out after being in the post. They're honestly beautiful to look at.
> 
> Sundews are absolutely beautiful plants too. Plus they're the ones that catch the most house flies for me in summer. They get the little annoying ones as well as the bigger blue bottles.
> 
> Butterworts are good for little flies. They have large flat leaves that are like a natural fly paper. Their flowers are quite large too.
> 
> Monkey cups can be more demanding with regards to their temps (here in the UK) but really are a show stopper.
> 
> Trumpet pitchers are easy and come in loads of different looks.


I have been considering getting a sundew since I live in Mosquito Mecca. What temperatures can they survive in? How often do they need to feed?


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## basin79

The Seraph said:


> I have been considering getting a sundew since I live in Mosquito Mecca. What temperatures can they survive in? How often do they need to feed?


Well they thrive in my house. I don't have the heating on. They just need a sunny windowsill. I just put mine out on a sunny day a few times over summer. Doesn't take them long to snag flies.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> The biggest killer of carnivorous plants is without doubt tap water being used instead of rainwater.


Depends on the plant and the water. Cephalotus and Nepenthes mind less than others, and soft water is fine in the short term, as long as you wash out with distilled or rain water every so often. Hard water will quickly kill most CPs; the exceptions are certain butterworts and nepenthes, which are adapted to limestone.

The water in my area is quite soft, but I have never had a problem watering with tap water and then washing out thoroughly with distilled water every two weeks.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Depends on the plant and the water. Cephalotus and Nepenthes mind less than others, and soft water is fine in the short term, as long as you wash out with distilled or rain water every so often. Hard water will quickly kill most CPs; the exceptions are certain butterworts and nepenthes, which are adapted to limestone.
> 
> The water in my area is quite soft, but I have never had a problem watering with tap water and then washing out thoroughly with distilled water every two weeks.


Intresting. Thanks. 

So the flushing saves them or at the very least stops them coming to any harm. 

I'd still sooner just use rain water though all the time. It's not hard to come by here in the UK.


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## basin79

Sundews may not have the impact of a VFT or pitcher plant but they're beautiful up close.

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## basin79

1 of my sundews has caught a fly. 
















Trigger hairs that set off the trap on a VFT.

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## basin79

Be careful where you step.

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## basin79

There's 4 little sundews growing in with 1 of my VFT's.

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## Vanisher

Very nice!!!!

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## basin79



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## basin79

A sundew in the sun. 



















What horrors wait in the shadows?

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## pannaking22

I had some random sundews growing in with my pitcher plants, but they haven't tried coming up this year so I may have lost them. Kind of a bummer, but they were basically freebies. I'll just have to get some sundews of my own in the future  I'd like to try one or many of the pygmy sundews.

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## basin79

pannaking22 said:


> I had some random sundews growing in with my pitcher plants, but they haven't tried coming up this year so I may have lost them. Kind of a bummer, but they were basically freebies. I'll just have to get some sundews of my own in the future  I'd like to try one or many of the pygmy sundews.


I got 4 in with 1 of my VFT's. Got a trumpet type pitcher in another that's just about to flower too.


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## basin79

Tiny little deadly lollipops if you're a fly.

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## Andrea82

basin79 said:


> A sundew in the sun.
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> What horrors wait in the shadows?


The suspense is killing me

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## pannaking22

@basin79 @schmiggle @Andrea82   Have you seen this video? Maybe not the most factual, but still at least good for a laugh.

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## basin79

pannaking22 said:


> @basin79 @schmiggle @Andrea82   Have you seen this video? Maybe not the most factual, but still at least good for a laugh.


Aye. I sub to that channel. Absolutely phenomenonal. So funny.

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## basin79

An unfortunate crane fly choose to land in the wrong place.

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## basin79

Grabbed some pics.

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## schmiggle

I am in process of building a fully automated terrarium using an old fridge. I will post pictures when finished (including plants ofc).

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## Andrea82

schmiggle said:


> I am in process of building a fully automated terrarium using an old fridge. I will post pictures when finished (including plants ofc).


Already excited about it!


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## basin79



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## basin79

Open for business.


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## velvetundergrowth

Beautiful Dionaea!
I've grown insectivorous plants for years now  I've grown examples of every carnivorous genus except Styllidium, Aldrovanda, Roridula and perhaps some other ultra-obscure or protocarnivorous plants.
My favorites are the Cephalotus and Heliamphora pitchers, as well as the highland Nepenthes.

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## basin79

velvetunderground said:


> Beautiful Dionaea!
> I've grown insectivorous plants for years now  I've grown examples of carnivorous genus known family except Styllidium, Aldrovanda, Roridula and perhaps some other ultra-obscure or protocarnivorous plants.
> My favorites are the Cephalotus and Heliamphora pitchers, as well as the highland Nepenthes.


I was hoping to get some pics of my Australian pitcher today but the sun went in.

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## Andrea82

basin79 said:


> Open for business.


This looks like something Festes the base loving spider would love... 
Jokes aside, awesome pictures as always

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## schmiggle

velvetunderground said:


> Beautiful Dionaea!
> I've grown insectivorous plants for years now  I've grown examples of every carnivorous genus except Styllidium, Aldrovanda, Roridula and perhaps some other ultra-obscure or protocarnivorous plants.
> My favorites are the Cephalotus and Heliamphora pitchers, as well as the highland Nepenthes.


Including Darlingtonia, Drosophyllum, Genlisea, Byblis, and Utricularia? If so, I'm impressed, particularly on the first two. Do you have pictures? To be clear, not as a test (that would be stupid) but just because I love when people grow funky cps.

@basin79 I really like those doubled photos.

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## velvetundergrowth

schmiggle said:


> Including Darlingtonia, Drosophyllum, Genlisea, Byblis, and Utricularia?
> 
> @basin79 I really like those doubled photos.


Darlingtonia, Drosophyllum, Byblis and Utricularia are all somewhat commonly grown  Genlisea less so due to it's traps being difficult to observe but is easy to grow. Drosophyllum, on the other hand is very difficult in my experience. 
I've also grown the carnivorous bromeliads Catopsis and Brocchinia, although they are somewhat less exciting than the others.
I'll snap some pics later but my collection is a fraction now of what it was when I was studying horticulture.

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## schmiggle

velvetunderground said:


> Darlingtonia, Drosophyllum, Byblis and Utricularia are all somewhat commonly grown  Genlisea less so due to it's traps being difficult to observe but is easy to grow. Drosophyllum, on the other hand is very difficult in my experience.
> I've also grown the carnivorous bromeliads Catopsis and Brocchinia, although they are somewhat less exciting than the others.
> I'll snap some pics later but my collection is a fraction now of what it was when I was studying horticulture.


Byblis is hard to come by in the US, and most climates here are badly suited to drosophyllum and darlingtonia. Out west it's a bit of a different story, but in many places it's more like "Darlingtonia and Drosophyllum are commonly bought and killed in a few months" lol

Genlisea seems like it's really fun if you put a thin layer of soil over a tank of water so you can see the traps. Utricularia I have not seen super commonly, although one or two species are weedy and just show up all over the place. I'm growing a couple of Orchidioides right now, am hoping to see flowers before I die 

Wasn't even gonna ask about Brocchinia and Catopsis, but I'm excited you're growing them. Brocchinia in particular looks much more interesting and different under very intense light (I would bet that UV also factors into this).

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## velvetundergrowth

There are plenty of sources for rarer CP's here in Europe, but mostly I've propagated from seed. Darlingtonia is easy to get here, and I have had little trouble getting it to thrive in my unheated greenhouse. My only gripe is that it is difficult to get "Upright"... Mine almost resembles Sarracenia psitticina.
We have wild Utricularia here, which I have grown, but the tropical ones are quite easy to grow, I'm going to be incorporating some into my upcoming Peripatus viv. They invariably like wet soil and are very prone to drying out fast.
The trick to growing these and Genlisea are to plant them in clear plastic cups, then place those in the regular pot. Now you can observe the root structures when they become slightly potbound 

That's amazing about the Orchidioides, I have never attempted an epiphitic Pinguicula. Hopefully you will have continued success! A tip I learned over the years is that Pinguiculas are heavy eaters in the wild and will appreciate supplemental insect feedings. They rarely catch anything when grown indoors/under glass so that may be the key to seeing some flowers.

My advise for Drosophyllum and Byblis is to not bother. They are nice plants but need dedicated care and their trappig system isn't as intricate as Drosera. Byblis may even be protocarnivorous, if I remember correctly.

The bromeliads I no longer have, they lived with my orchids and palms and although conditions seemed close to perfect I never got anywhere with them  I don't think I'll be trying them again as they are pretty plain compared to other CPs, and less attractive than most other broms.

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## schmiggle

velvetunderground said:


> That's amazing about the Orchidioides, I have never attempted an epiphitic Pinguicula. Hopefully you will have continued success! A tip I learned over the years is that Pinguiculas are heavy eaters in the wild and will appreciate supplemental insect feedings. They rarely catch anything when grown indoors/under glass so that may be the key to seeing some flowers.


I meant Utricularis, I fertilize every 2-4 weeks at 50ppm 20-20-10 fert because I have no idea what food they're getting in the substrate. I've been tempted to cut back lately, because my U. quelchii isn't producing many bladders even though it's growing like a weed, and it's also having its short leaves overtaken by some liverwort.

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## velvetundergrowth

schmiggle said:


> I meant Utricularis, I fertilize every 2-4 weeks at 50ppm 20-20-10 fert


My bad, thought you meant the Butterwort (which I also mistakenly called epiphitic...doh!). 
I have 0 experience feeding Utrics, I have grown U. vulgaris is a container like I mentioned for a couple of years and while it has never "exploded" it seems to be happy enough. The other species I kept was in a tub bog garden and spread nicely so I reckon it got what it needed from the soil. I'm sure the aquatic species are much more straightforward to feed... 

Do you only grow outdoors or do you have a glasshouse/conservatory?


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## schmiggle

velvetunderground said:


> Do you only grow outdoors or do you have a glasshouse/conservatory?


Both of those would be a dream. I do windowsill supplemented with a light (was two, will have to replace a bulb before going home I guess) and a terrarium with led lighting. As above, I'm building an automated terrarium from an old refrigerator. Tonight my friend and I are going to try drilling holes in it without bricking the fridge because thay would be really terrible. I don't have a place to put a garden or greenhouse. Not sure if a terrarium maybe counts as a glasshouse?

How do you grow, and @basin79 @Andrea82 @pannaking22 how do y'all grow?


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## velvetundergrowth

schmiggle said:


> How do you grow?


My dad restores old houses and turned an old conservatory into a Victorian style glasshouse. In there I grow a couple of palms, bananas, cycads and passiflora etc, as well as the temperate carnivores. Average temperature in there is 20-22°c.

I grow the Heliamphora, lowland Neps and Cephs on the kitchen windowsill.

Finally, I have an "indoor growroom" which is really just a large walk-in tent with a reflective interior and LED grow lights. This is where I propagate and keep my true tropicals such as coconut, orchids, highland Neps etc. Im also planning on keeping inverts in here such as Amblypygi.

I HIGHLY reccomend the 3rd one. You can get a good size Black Orchid grow tent on eBay for around $100. I got my MarsHydro 600w reflector growlight for $150 on sale. That combo will allow you to have an ensuite-sized jungle in the corner of your bedroom

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## schmiggle

velvetunderground said:


> My dad restores old houses and turned an old conservatory into a Victorian style glasshouse


Jealous...

How do you grow lowland neps and Heliamphora on the same windowsill? My Heliamphora suffer when they don't drop down to pretty cool temps at night.


velvetunderground said:


> Finally, I have an "indoor growroom" which is really just a large walk-in tent with a reflective interior and LED grow lights. This is where I propagate and keep my true tropicals such as coconut, orchids, highland Neps etc. Im also planning on keeping inverts in here such as Amblypygi.


How do you keep this cool? I picked up the fridge specifically because it cools itself.


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Both of those would be a dream. I do windowsill supplemented with a light (was two, will have to replace a bulb before going home I guess) and a terrarium with led lighting. As above, I'm building an automated terrarium from an old refrigerator. Tonight my friend and I are going to try drilling holes in it without bricking the fridge because thay would be really terrible. I don't have a place to put a garden or greenhouse. Not sure if a terrarium maybe counts as a glasshouse?
> 
> How do you grow, and @basin79 @Andrea82 @pannaking22 how do y'all grow?


Just on sunny windowsills in the house. Put them out on warm sunny days for a few hours in summer to catch food too.

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## velvetundergrowth

schmiggle said:


> Jealous...
> 
> How do you grow lowland neps and Heliamphora on the same windowsill? My Heliamphora suffer when they don't drop down to pretty cool temps at night.
> 
> How do you keep this cool? I picked up the fridge specifically because it cools itself.


The short answer to both is I live in Ireland XD The kitchen windowsill is actually on the cool side for those plants.
With the tent it never goes above 30 and that's on the hottest days. For when it does get that hot I have an extractor fan that compliments the USB powered circulation fan and the cooling fans on the LEDs. The great thing about the LEDs is they don't get hot at all, just sort of warm. 
The most difficult thing about the tent is maintaining high humidity, even with very low ventilation it dries out fast in there.

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## pannaking22

schmiggle said:


> Both of those would be a dream. I do windowsill supplemented with a light (was two, will have to replace a bulb before going home I guess) and a terrarium with led lighting. As above, I'm building an automated terrarium from an old refrigerator. Tonight my friend and I are going to try drilling holes in it without bricking the fridge because thay would be really terrible. I don't have a place to put a garden or greenhouse. Not sure if a terrarium maybe counts as a glasshouse?
> 
> How do you grow, and @basin79 @Andrea82 @pannaking22 how do y'all grow?


Windowsill for me as well. I'd like to start putting them outside, but it gets so hot and dry here that I'd be afraid that they'd die out there since I'd have a hard time keeping up with the water.


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## Andrea82

schmiggle said:


> Both of those would be a dream. I do windowsill supplemented with a light (was two, will have to replace a bulb before going home I guess) and a terrarium with led lighting. As above, I'm building an automated terrarium from an old refrigerator. Tonight my friend and I are going to try drilling holes in it without bricking the fridge because thay would be really terrible. I don't have a place to put a garden or greenhouse. Not sure if a terrarium maybe counts as a glasshouse?
> 
> How do you grow, and @basin79 @Andrea82 @pannaking22 how do y'all grow?


I'm not growing them yet, I'm just riding along to soak up all the knowledge from you guys before I start. 
I had a VFT once but it died on me. This was 15 years ago and I want to make sure I get it right this time

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## velvetundergrowth

Andrea82 said:


> I had a VFT once but it died on me. This was 15 years ago and I want to make sure I get it right this time


Follow these rules and you will find VFT's easy:

• Rainwater/distilled water only. Keep very moist but not wet

• When repotting use 1-1-1 peat moss, perlite and sand. 

• Keep in full sun as much as possible

• Don't close the traps needlessly

• Cut off the flower stalk before it starts growing tall. Leave the VFT outside in winter, kept a lot drier. This will make the plant come back stronger the next year

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## Andrea82

velvetunderground said:


> Follow these rules and you will find VFT's easy:
> 
> • Rainwater/distilled water only. Keep very moist but not wet
> 
> • When repotting use 1-1-1 peat moss, perlite and sand.
> 
> • Keep in full sun as much as possible
> 
> • Don't close the traps needlessly
> 
> • Cut off the flower stalk before it starts growing tall. Leave the VFT outside in winter, kept a lot drier. This will make the plant come back stronger the next year


Keeping it outside... Are you sure? It can get as low as -15°C here in winter. Also very wet.


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## velvetundergrowth

Andrea82 said:


> Keeping it outside... Are you sure? It can get as low as -15°C here in winter. Also very wet.


-15 is a bit too cold but they can go a couple degrees below freezing. Mine go down to -8 here for a while during winter and do fine so long as they aren't wet.
The cool period causes the plant to go dormant and is essential to perennial growth. Flytraps that don't get their natural winter chill will grow leggy and weak the next year, and you will probably get lots of malformed traps. The removal of the flower stalk is just as important if you want a long-lived, strong plant

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## schmiggle

velvetunderground said:


> The removal of the flower stalk is just as important if you want a long-lived, strong plant


People with really happy plants have no trouble when they keep the flower, but I agree that beginners should remove it.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## basin79

You can see the nectar on the edge of the leaf. Sneaky buggers. 













This tiny fly made the fatal mistake of landing on this small sundew leaf. 













Random pics. 





















Black and white versions.

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## Andrea82

The first b/w picture could be wall art, like cover one wall with it and then have snobbish people over who have no idea what it is but because it is art they go like  'hmm yes, quite, what a marvelous piece, quite fetching'
Which it is, of course, but while they are searching for what the artist might have meant by it, I go like, 'great isn't it, nature?' 
... I have a very vivid imagination sometimes...

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## basin79

Andrea82 said:


> The first b/w picture could be wall art, like cover one wall with it and then have snobbish people over who have no idea what it is but because it is art they go like  'hmm yes, quite, what a marvelous piece, quite fetching'
> Which it is, of course, but while they are searching for what the artist might have meant by it, I go like, 'great isn't it, nature?'
> ... I have a very vivid imagination sometimes...


Arty farty.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> You can see the nectar on the edge of the leaf. Sneaky buggers.


Yeah, that's always one of the coolest things with CPs.

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## basin79



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## krbshappy71

I caved and got a VFT, this forum is going to ruin my retirement plans.  I'll just sit around eating cat food and watching my plants and pets.  I haven't had one of these plants since I was a kid mistakenly feeding it hamburger!  Time to redeem myself.  Fabulous pictures, by the way, basin49!

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## basin79

krbshappy71 said:


> I caved and got a VFT, this forum is going to ruin my retirement plans.  I'll just sit around eating cat food and watching my plants and pets.  I haven't had one of these plants since I was a kid mistakenly feeding it hamburger!  Time to redeem myself.  Fabulous pictures, by the way, basin49!


Well played.

Bloody hell fire I've aged. 30 years just like that.

And thank you. Much appreciated.

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## Andrea82

krbshappy71 said:


> .  I haven't had one of these plants since I was a kid mistakenly feeding it hamburger! 9!


This just made my day

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## basin79

Narrow leaf sundew

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## basin79



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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


>


What's the Latin on this one? Is it a capensis cultivar?

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> What's the Latin on this one? Is it a capensis cultivar?


Drosera capensis is on the card.

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## basin79

Forked leafed sundew waking up. 
























Narrow leaf sundew showing false vivipary.

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## basin79

Noticed some aphids on one of my narrow leaf sundews. Not fussed about a few as at some point they'll end up doing what this little one did.

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## SamanthaMarikian

Anybody have recommendations for a somewhat humid room that drops to low 70’s n occasionally high 60’s rarely at night but isn't a pitcher plant? rn i only have a tropical butterwort


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## basin79

SamanthaMarikian said:


> Anybody have recommendations for a somewhat humid room that drops to low 70’s n occasionally high 60’s rarely at night but isn't a pitcher plant? rn i only have a tropical butterwort


VFTs and Sundews.


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## basin79

An unfortunate fly in a deadly embrace.

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## pannaking22

Love the bright red dew on your sundews

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## basin79

pannaking22 said:


> Love the bright red dew on your sundews


Aye, they're bonny little plants.


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## basin79




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## fried rice

These plants are so beautiful!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## basin79

Dolichothele said:


> These plants are so beautiful!


Yep. Beautiful plants and take call of annoying flies.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> Yep. Beautiful plants and take call of annoying flies.


Do they work that way for you? My filiformis is prettier than practical, catches plenty of things but doesn't make any dents in the population.


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Do they work that way for you? My filiformis is prettier than practical, catches plenty of things but doesn't make any dents in the population.


With having Pandora my parrot out all day all my doors/windows are shut so to be honest I don't see hardly any flies. The ones I do see are usually stuck to the leaves.

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## basin79

Like loads of balloons have just been released.

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## basin79

The quintessential carnivorous plant. The iconic Venus fly trap. 













The Bridge on the River Fly

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## basin79

Been messing again. 

The dark side of Venus


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## basin79

Sundew from the underside.


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## basin79



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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


>


I like that one a lot. Looks like an album cover

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> I like that one a lot. Looks like an album cover


Cheers. I really like that too. Was fun editing it.


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## basin79

Cephalotus follicular

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## moricollins

basin79 said:


> Cephalotus follicular


Whoa! Beyond cool

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## basin79

Back open for business. The trap has been reset. The fly recycled.

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## pannaking22

Always a good day when basin posts more carnivorous plant photos!

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## basin79

pannaking22 said:


> Always a good day when basin posts more carnivorous plant photos!


Cheers ears. Much appreciated.


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## basin79



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## basin79

A very unlucky fly. 








I actually forgot to get a scale pic with my camera so grabbed one with my phone later. The fly hadn't given up although I do very much doubt it'll survive. Matchstick for scale. 








Really are beautiful plants.

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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> A very unlucky fly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I actually forgot to get a scale pic with my camera so grabbed one with my phone later. The fly hadn't given up although I do very much doubt it'll survive. Matchstick for scale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really are beautiful plants.


I've never actually seen one of these in action... like what happens when a fly gets stuck there ?


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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> I've never actually seen one of these in action... like what happens when a fly gets stuck there ?


Well you can see the little arms (don't know the scientific terms) start moving in. For small prey that's enough. For larger prey the whole leaf will slowly fold up so that more and more of the sticky arms come into contact.

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## basin79

2 unfortunate souls being turned into plant food.

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## Ferrachi

So that's what it looks like when they start eating them


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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> So that's what it looks like when they start eating them


I'm surprised the leaf hasn't curled up. For larger prey the little arms move in and then the  leaf will fold so more of the sticky blobs make contact.

Many hands make light work.

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## Ferrachi

Just insane how a plant can devour insects... but really amazing

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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> Just insane how a plant can devour insects... but really amazing


The giant pitchers have been known to eat rats.

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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> The giant pitchers have been known to eat rats.


Rats !!! I have to find a video or even a photo...


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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> Rats !!! I have to find a video or even a photo...


I've just found out its named after the legend that is Sir David Attenborough. Nepenthes attenboroughii.

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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> I've just found out its named after the legend that is Sir David Attenborough. Nepenthes attenboroughii.


That's pretty cool that it's named after Sir David Attenborough... the guy is a legend with wild life documentaries

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## schmiggle

There's several species large enough to eat tree shrews (I guess rats too, but they don't tend to catch those). In some cases it's just a standard misadventure for the shrew, but there are several species (e.g. N. rajah, N. lowii) that attract tree shrews to eat their poop. The lid is large and has nectar on it so the shrew will lick it, and the entrance is almost exactly of a size that it's a good toilet shape for a shrew. Occasionally the shrews fall in and die, but usually they just leave after they're done. This isn't N. Attenboroughii's strategy--the lid is too small, and the pitcher shape is wrong--so any time it catches a shrew is purely accidental. I don't think it catches them often.

There's also a common lowland species (N. ampullaria) that specializes on catching leaf litter.

Edit: I actually take that back about N. attenboroughii. Having had a second look at the pitchers, they might we'll have evolved to be shrew toilets.


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> There's several species large enough to eat tree shrews (I guess rats too, but they don't tend to catch those). In some cases it's just a standard misadventure for the shrew, but there are several species (e.g. N. rajah, N. lowii) that attract tree shrews to eat their poop. The lid is large and has nectar on it so the shrew will lick it, and the entrance is almost exactly of a size that it's a good toilet shape for a shrew. Occasionally the shrews fall in and die, but usually they just leave after they're done. This isn't N. Attenboroughii's strategy--the lid is too small, and the pitcher shape is wrong--so any time it catches a shrew is purely accidental. I don't think it catches them often.
> 
> There's also a common lowland species (N. ampullaria) that specializes on catching leaf litter.
> 
> Edit: I actually take that back about N. attenboroughii. Having had a second look at the pitchers, they might we'll have evolved to be shrew toilets.


Surely attenboroughii are too massive to have evolved to feed on shrew crap? Their pitchers are huge and hold pints of digestive juices. Seem pretty much set up for large prey.


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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> Surely attenboroughii are too massive to have evolved to feed on shrew crap? Their pitchers are huge and hold pints of digestive juices. Seem pretty much set up for large prey.


Naw, the shrew crap syndrome is all big pitchers. Rajah has pitchers much bigger than Attenboroughii, and there's pretty much no debate on that one being a shrew toilet. It's more about the shape of the lid and the size of the opening. A pitcher has to be bigger to accommodate a shrew sitting on it, and shrew crap has more nitrogen by weight than tissue anyway, so it's also a better fertilizer in some respects.

Rajah size:






Shrew feeding--clearly a good match:






Attenboroughii size:





Rajah is known to occasionally catch shrews, but presumably they aren't careful and fall in. Manure is a much more reliable food source than occasional big animals. IMO, the bigger reason to think that that's not what attenboroughii is doing is because it has a round peristome, whereas rajah, lowii, macrophylla and epiphippiata have oblong ones. A good test might be to see whether attenboroughii's lid reflects in the same spectrum as those other four species, because they appear bright to shrews but not to humans and it's thought to be a characteristic attracting them to lick the lid.

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## basin79

From afar or above they simply look like red dots on a leaf.









But get in close and look from from another angle and you'll see they're not.

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## basin79

The more you move, the more stuck you get.

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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> The more you move, the more stuck you get.


I have to find me one of these plants !

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## basin79

Had a play with black and white. 

Drosera capensis


















Also had another case of false vivipary in another sundew.

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## basin79

Re-edited this from scratch. As in from the original colour pic.

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## basin79

And another.

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## basin79

Venus fly trap flower re-edited to black and white.


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## basin79

Re-edit. Original was taken in May.

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## basin79

Colour pic from May 2019 re-edited into this.

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## basin79

Had the camera out. 

Drosera capensis

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## XxSpiderQueenxX

Spectacular picture!

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## basin79

XxSpiderQueenxX said:


> Spectacular picture!


Cheers ears.


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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> Had the camera out.
> 
> Drosera capensis


Almost looks like rain drops...

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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> Almost looks like rain drops...


Aye. They're spectacular plants.

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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> Aye. They're spectacular plants.


I should start getting into carnivorous plants too... they seem so cool

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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> I should start getting into carnivorous plants too... they seem so cool


They are. They're absolutely beautiful plants that actually do help with flies.

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## basin79

More Drosera capensis pics.

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## Ferrachi

basin79 said:


> More Drosera capensis pics.


How do these plants work ? I know the insect gets stuck there but what happens after ?


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## schmiggle

Ferrachi said:


> How do these plants work ? I know the insect gets stuck there but what happens after ?


The plant releases digestive enzymes through the sticky glands that break down the soft parts of the insect. With many Drosera (including capensis), the leaf also curls around the insect and sticks more tentacles to it, both preventing it from escaping and making digestion more efficient. When the soft parts are completely broken down, the leaf opens back up and the carcass is blown away on the wind, or the leaf simply dies and a fresh one grows.

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## basin79

Ferrachi said:


> How do these plants work ? I know the insect gets stuck there but what happens after ?


Depends how large the insect is. Tiny flies will get stuck on a single stalk and just be dissolved. 

The larger the insect the more it can struggle the more stalks will bend towards it to. Really large prey the whole leaf will fold up. Then the insect is broken down. I've got a pics on here but I'll post them again so you can see.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> Depends how large the insect is. Tiny flies will get stuck on a single stalk and just be dissolved.
> 
> The larger the insect the more it can struggle the more stalks will bend towards it to. Really large prey the whole leaf will fold up. Then the insect is broken down. I've got a pics on here but I'll post them again so you can see.
> 
> View attachment 372036
> View attachment 372037
> View attachment 372038
> View attachment 372039
> View attachment 372040
> View attachment 372041
> View attachment 372042


Yeah, good point--the bigger the insect, the more it folds. The plant is very clever about resource allocation, and I have no idea how it can tell how much to fold the leaf.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Yeah, good point--the bigger the insect, the more it folds. The plant is very clever about resource allocation, and I have no idea how it can tell how much to fold the leaf.


Must work on a similar principle to a VTF's hair triggers I'd have thought. Stimulation sends signals and the more stimulation to the stalks the more signals and response.

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## Ferrachi

Now I have to see f I can source one of these plants here...


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## schmiggle

Ferrachi said:


> Now I have to see f I can source one of these plants here...


D. capensis is both trivially easy to find online and relatively easy to grow. You just need very high light, peat, silica sand, and lots of distilled water. Quick google search to find care info and plants for sale. VFTs are trickier to grow, and Cephalotus is quite challenging.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> D. capensis is both trivially easy to find online and relatively easy to grow. You just need very high light, peat, silica sand, and lots of distilled water. Quick google search to find care info and plants for sale. VFTs are trickier to grow, and Cephalotus is quite challenging.


Or rain water. Plenty of that here in the UK.

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## Ferrachi

schmiggle said:


> D. capensis is both trivially easy to find online and relatively easy to grow. You just need very high light, peat, silica sand, and lots of distilled water. Quick google search to find care info and plants for sale. VFTs are trickier to grow, and Cephalotus is quite challenging.


Thank you... I'll see if I can find some online


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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> Or rain water. Plenty of that here in the UK.


Good point. Never had an opportunity to set up a mechanism to collect rainwater--parents didn't like the idea, and have lived in dorms and apartments since moving out, so it's not something I've thought a lot about. It's a great idea, though, even if it's just to supplement, because it's much more environmentally friendly.


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Good point. Never had an opportunity to set up a mechanism to collect rainwater--parents didn't like the idea, and have lived in dorms and apartments since moving out, so it's not something I've thought a lot about it. It's a great idea, though, even if it's just to supplement, because it's much more environmentally friendly.


I just bought a dustbin, cut a hole in the lid and then cut the downpipe down that comes off a lean-to roof. I don't have loads of plants so even when it doesn't rain as much in summer I've always got at least 60 litres or so.

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## DomGom TheFather

schmiggle said:


> Good point. Never had an opportunity to set up a mechanism to collect rainwater


Gutters work great.

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## basin79

DomGom TheFather said:


> Gutters work great.


Yep. It's ridiculous how much even a small roof collects. Lean-to is maybe 7 foot long by 4ft wide and filled the bin really quick when I first set it up. Obviously here in the UK it does rain a fair bit but still surprising.

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## schmiggle

DomGom TheFather said:


> Gutters work great.


I was always afraid of pollution in the gutter. The one at my parents' house has peeling paint, and the exposed parts are really rusted. Don't want to introduce lots of dissolved metals.


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## DomGom TheFather

basin79 said:


> Yep. It's ridiculous how much even a small roof collects. Lean-to is maybe 7 foot long by 4ft wide and filled the bin really quick when I first set it up. Obviously here in the UK it does rain a fair bit but still surprising.


I have a 55 gallon rainbarrel that gets fed from just the roof over my porch. I water everything from it.


schmiggle said:


> I was always afraid of pollution in the gutter. The one at my parents' house has peeling paint, and the exposed parts are really rusted. Don't want to introduce lots of dissolved metals.


If they're really bad, I could see the concern. I have aluminum gutters. Never had any issues. My well water on the other hand will kill sensitive plants in just a couple weeks. It's really hard water run through a sodium softener.

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## scolopendra277

how long do sundews take to germinate after potting?


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## basin79

scolopendra277 said:


> how long do sundews take to germinate after potting?


I've no idea. @schmiggle might know though.


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## schmiggle

scolopendra277 said:


> how long do sundews take to germinate after potting?


Depends on the sundew, but if it's a subtropical or tropical variety I wanna say it's a few weeks. Stratification takes a bit longer. How long has it been? Usually people don't wait long enough before freaking out that their seeds are all dead.

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## scolopendra277

I haven't got them yet, but i'm planning to. right now I only have flytraps.


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## basin79

Got a few pics today. 

Sundew caught a little moth. 





2 leaves touched as I was moving the pot.

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## basin79



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## basin79

Had the camera out so some grabbed some pics.

Drosera binata var. multifida

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## basin79

Same plant as above. Even though the moth has dusty wings it didn't help it here. You can see from the top the dust stuck to the plant and then carries on as the moth would have struggled.





And part of the leaf just because.

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## basin79



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## coolnweird

Hope you don't mind me highjacking this thread to show off my carnivorous plants! It's the only thread I found on the topic. Here's a month of growth in my starter bog!

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## basin79

coolnweird said:


> Hope you don't mind me highjacking this thread to show off my carnivorous plants! It's the only thread I found on the topic. Here's a month of growth in my starter bog!
> View attachment 388370


Looking good. Although I'd recommend you do make your own thread though like I did as it allows you to follow things better. As in you can see the progress your plants are making quicker as there'll only be your own pics. And it makes things easier to find too.


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## basin79

Pinguicula cyclosecta I got last year has put up the first flower. 2 more growing too.

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## basin79

The sticky droplets on the leaves of a Pinguicula cyclosecta are a lot smaller than those of a sundew. However there's loads of them over a large surface so they have no trouble catching flies and the like.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> The sticky droplets on the leaves of a Pinguicula cyclosecta are a lot smaller than those of a sundew. However there's loads of them over a large surface so they have no trouble catching flies and the like.
> 
> View attachment 388493
> View attachment 388492


Didn't know you grow Pinguicula! Love the close-ups--you really can't tell looking at Pinguicula with naked eyes that it's essentially the same system as Drosersa.

One of these days I'd like to get gypsicola and laueana. I'd also like to see gypsicola in the wild. Had the unexpected pleasure of finding vulgaris near a glacier in Iceland in 2016--really drove home why they're called butterworts.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Didn't know you grow Pinguicula! Love the close-ups--you really can't tell looking at Pinguicula with naked eyes that it's essentially the same system as Drosersa.
> 
> One of these days I'd like to get gypsicola and laueana. I'd also like to see gypsicola in the wild. Had the unexpected pleasure of finding vulgaris near a glacier in Iceland in 2016--really drove home why they're called butterworts.


Aye you'd think their leaves just had a sticky coating on them by looking yet they're made up of hundreds/thousands of tiny droplets each in their own perch.

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## basin79

A fly and her eggs recycled.

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## basin79

I noticed that newly emerging flowers of the Pinguicula cyclosecta were covered in the same sticky blobs as the the leaves. Not sure if it's for protection, to catch food or both. Carnivorous plants need pollinators so their flowers end up high up well away from the "danger zone". No point killing what you need. As this flower grows those sticky buds will disappear making the flower safe for any visitors.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> I noticed that newly emerging flowers of the Pinguicula cyclosecta were covered in the same sticky blobs as the the leaves. Not sure if it's for protection, to catch food or both. Carnivorous plants need pollinators so their flowers end up high up well away from the "danger zone". No point killing what you need. As this flower grows those sticky buds will disappear making the flower safe for any visitors.
> 
> View attachment 388650
> View attachment 388651


I think--but can't easily prove--that the tentacles on the bus are there for developmental reasons, not adaptive ones. As in, all Pinguicula leaves and stems start off with tentacles, but on the flowers they disappear later. It could be for protection early on, however.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> I think--but can't easily prove--that the tentacles on the bus are there for developmental reasons, not adaptive ones. As in, all Pinguicula leaves and stems start off with tentacles, but on the flowers they disappear later. It could be for protection early on, however.


With them being able to stop the production of carnivorous leaves in winter I thought they'd be able to stop the tentacles on newly emerged flower buds. But then again that's a seasonal change for the plant not just odd parts. 

Cheers.


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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> With them being able to stop the production of carnivorous leaves in winter I thought they'd be able to stop the tentacles on newly emerged flower buds. But then again that's a seasonal change for the plant not just odd parts.
> 
> Cheers.


Oh I forgot about that--very good point. But are you sure the succulent leaves don't also begin development with tentacles? If not then I'd have to stick with defense mechanism.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Oh I forgot about that--very good point. But are you sure the succulent leaves don't also begin development with tentacles? If not then I'd have to stick with defense mechanism.


That's a good point. I don't actually know.


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## basin79

More Pinguicula cyclosecta pics. My lens reflecting in the drops in the second pic make them look like frogspawn.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> That's a good point. I don't actually know.


Check when it switches over--now I'm really curious.

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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Check when it switches over--now I'm really curious.


I'll forget.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> I'll forget.


Maybe don't


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## basin79

schmiggle said:


> Maybe don't


Ha ha ha ha ha ha.


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## basin79



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## basin79

Well the fly's looking a little bit worse for wear now. 





New life unfolds. Drosera binata.

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## basin79

I think that's nectar. 



The flower compared to my hand. 



The arrows are pointing to what the first pic is actually of.

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## schmiggle

basin79 said:


> I think that's nectar.
> View attachment 390883
> 
> 
> The flower compared to my hand.
> View attachment 390884
> 
> 
> The arrows are pointing to what the first pic is actually of.
> View attachment 390885


That is an absolutely STUNNING picture. I think you're right that it's nectar.

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## spiderlover123

This has got to be one of my best pots ever.

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## basin79

Drosera binata var. multifida

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## basin79

"Come on in, the water's lovely".

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## jc55

I still find it fascinating that there are plants that catch insects but was not aware of how many there are.Great pictures by the way and thanks for sharing.

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## basin79

jc55 said:


> I still find it fascinating that there are plants that catch insects but was not aware of how many there are.Great pictures by the way and thanks for sharing.


Oh there are quite a few different types and then a lot of different ones within those groups. And I'm exactly the same with regards to plants actually turning the tables and eating animals.


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## jc55

basin79 said:


> Oh there are quite a few different types and then a lot of different ones within those groups. And I'm exactly the same with regards to plants actually turning the tables and eating animals.


II will be honest.I have always liked growing different plants and i am going to look into acquiring some of these after i move in the next couple of weeks as i find them fascinating.

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## basin79

Watch your step!!!

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## basin79

A growing trap. Love watching the teeth form and then grow out. Decided to edit this on black and white to really highlight the teeth.

Sadly I've had to take a screen shot of the actual pic because it just wouldn't load.

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