Question
QUESTION: Hello!
I have had these fly traps for about 3 months now.  I have one of each type of fly traps; Dante, Venus and Red Dragon.  All three have recently stop eating.  The Red dragon has not eaten in a month or so.  I live in the central valley of CA where it is very hot and dry (95-100 degrees).  They are kept outside in full sunlight like you recommend.  I keep the planters in distilled water so the soil is always moist.  The Red Dragon traps die but are replaced by new traps.  I feed them only live flies.  The other two seem to be growing OK.  Thanks for the help.

ANSWER: Hi Kevin,

Any chance you could send me pictures of your plants?  I'm trying to access the overall health of your plants, and how much they are eating is almost irrelevant in determining that.  As long as your plants have good color, are growing new traps, and the traps close quickly when triggered, the plants are healthy.  Keep in mind that insects are fertilizer to the plants, and it isn't something they need very often.  We never feed ours here in the nursery.  They catch what they catch during the summer and they look great.


Good Growing!

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

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your quick reply!  The plants have good color and are rigid, standing up straight.  The Venus plants are growing new traps almost twice as much as when I received them.  It sounds like we are feeding them too much.  My 7 year old wants to feed them a few times a week (he love's killing flies!).  It's like a hobby for us.  The traps will close on the flies but the next day they open back up.  I guess we will curtail the feeding to maybe once a month.  Does this seem like a good idea?  Thanks again!
Kevin

Answer
Hi Kevin,

That makes more sense now.  The reason the traps reopen so soon is because the flies are dead.  Venus flytraps finish the closure and start digestion as a result the the thrashing of the insect.  If the bug isn't moving it doesn't finish the closure.  A couple of bugs a month will be just fine.  If your plants are outside, I'm surprised they haven't caught their own.


Good Growing!

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