Question
Hello. I have a problem with my Nepenthes (Sanguinea?) and there are all these little white bugs on it. I try and scratch them off with a toothpick and feed them to my sundews or butterworts by sticking them in the goo, but they keep on coming back in greater numbers. They currently reside deeper into the leaf follicle from where the leaf grows out from.

Is there anything that can be done for my Nepenthes or is it doomed to die a slow, painful death? I have read on this site that most pesticides can hurt carnivorous plants, so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get rid of them.

Perhaps if it surives into the summer I could get ladybugs and put them on my Nepenthes? Maybe there are a type of aphid and the lady bug will do something to help. I'm running out of ideas and my Nepenthes is the only plant affected in my 10 gallon terrarium. All my sundews and one butterwort don't have them, but I'm guess this is due to the fact they are covered in goo most places, so there's no place to reside there without getting stuck and eaten. The Nepenthes doesn't have any sticky goo, only broader leaves with small, deformed pitcher where the leaves have been eaten into. I only have 3 or 4 healthy-looking pitchers that seem to still be growing, unlike the others.

I can't get a photo of the bugs as I can barely see them myself and my camera is not very good at getting close detail. The critters are a white-ish, very light yellow color. Perhaps cream-colored, I'm not sure.

Thanks for your time and efforts!

Answer
Hi Devon,

What you have sounds like scale insect, and they are the most common pest of Nepenthes.  Nepenthes are not very sensitive to insecticides, and most common ones work fine on them.  This is what I recommend:  http://www.bayeradvanced.com/rose-flower-care/products/dual-action-rose-flower-i

Also see our podcast on safe insecticides for carnivorous plants:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbRCdJ8ZNF0

Be sure to follow label directions.  Butterworts and Sundews tend to be the most tender, but I've had no problems with the Bayer products when used as directed.  If you ever try something new, try it a one or two inexpensive plants before spraying everything.  Sometimes things I thought would be perfectly safe were not, and stuff that I thought would kill the plants in a heartbeat turned out to be fine.  It always helps to test them on certain plants.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com