FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi, I'm a new user and very new to venus fly traps. I ordered a venus fly trap, pitcher plant and a sundew to put near the "tortoise shed" where I feed the tortoises. There are flies that congregate there and I tried fly strips last year and that did not help much. I want a natural way to keep the insects at a minimum as I don't use insecticides near my tortoises. Are there particular variations of Venus fly traps that catch more flies than others and I saw someone mention putting the pots in water trays to keep moist during hot summers. If you can think of anything, I would any advice. I plan of making shelves to place these plants just above the feeding areas but off of the ground. Tank is a 100lb tortoise and his name describes him perfectly. lol. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and glad to be here!

Wonder if American pitcher plants (Sarracenia) would give you the best results? But are you sure the tortoise won’t eat the plants (whichever you choose) ?

Hello, welcome to the forum!

Shellcior wrote:I plan of making shelves to place these plants just above the feeding areas but off of the ground.

Good idea! That way the plants do not become a snack.

Shellcior wrote:There are flies that congregate there and I tried fly strips last year and that did not help much. I want a natural way to keep the insects at a minimum as I don't use insecticides near my tortoises.

Carnivorous plants are a lot of fun to grow, but they are not a significant solution to insect infestations. I would recommend a sarracenia (north american pitcher plant), but even they won't solve your problem very efficiently.

I would recommend one of the fly bag traps. Hang it a little ways away from your tortoises (so that the flies will leave the tortoise area), and the flies will go crazy; killing themselves in the process. I use bag traps for keeping livestock fly-free, as they make a very noticeable dent in the population.

Good luck!