A little information on Venus flytraps and how they’re cared for in your garden: Venus flytraps (VFSs) are natives to a large area of land known as the Green Swamp, located near the eastern shore of North Carolina. The areas in which VFTs and many other carnivorous plants typically grow are wet, boggy, nutrient-deficient soils where plants often grow in high quantities. Because VFTs are drought-tolerant, they can survive in conditions where traditional plants would be killed. This is one reason why VFTs are good candidates for aquarium aquascaping.
Venus flytraps are vivarium-friendly, which means they can grow well even in lower levels of water. In fact, they do quite well in low-water environments. The primary difference between a true Venus flytrap and a fake, or vivarium-friendly, plant is the way it is painted. True carnivores have short leaves; VFTs have long, tapered leaves. In addition, the colors of true carnivores tend to be brighter than those of vivarium-friendly plants.
Scientifically called Thysanura rubra, the species commonly referred to as Venus flytraps are actually related to the flying insects called Coccididae. Other common names for this insect family are chameleons, caddisflies, and carpet beetles. Historically, flies and damselfly were the main prey of these insects. In the south Carolina area, Tachystodes are common garden pest culprits but are actually eaten by some tachinid flies, including the south Carolina variety. These and other flyways commonly associated with Venus flytraps make them good candidates for both organic garden pest control.
carnivorous plants like aphids and spider mites are also commonly preyed upon by the flies and other insects that feed on them. Aphids are especially tough to manage. This is one reason that planting more of these plants around your home makes sense. Aphids, in particular, are an issue because they are highly aggressive predators of plants with tender roots, such as colloids.
Tachinid flies are a problem both indoors and outdoors for a growing season. These insects are generally found in moist soil, particularly along the edges of leafy greens. To keep them at bay, plant other, non-vegetative plants and a few carnivorous plants near your house. If you don’t have a garden in your yard, consider growing collodia and calendula in pots indoors during the growing season. You can move the pots into your yard when your plants begin to bloom.
Late winter dormancy is a problem faced by most plants. As soon as they start to flower, a Venus flytrap starts to hibernate. hibernacula, which are native to Australia, are subspecies of lady beetles. The beetles release a chemical that interrupts the plants’ photosynthesis process. The resulting stunted growth, slowed growth and eventually death of the plants occurs within a month after the insects begin to hibernate. However, there is a way to deal with this winter dormancy.
Planting seeds in a Venus flytrap during late winter will result in a fully established plant indoors in spring. If you have purchased a plant that does not grow well in captivity, you can often rescue it from the juvenile stage and begin growing it again in a new pot. This is a slow process but will ensure that the plant will continue to grow healthy and strong for the next few years.
If you are growing carnivorous plants, you should be careful to not place the terrarium near a source of heat. Some plants such as wheatgrass or milkweed may require extra care. If possible, store them in a cool dark place such as a refrigerated basement or greenhouse. Also check with local gardening shops or nurseries for recommendations on growing mediums.