FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello all!
So as of late, my truncata has been producing large pitchers (finally) and as a result, caught two good sized lizards and a tree frog, all of which have perished within the pitchers. I know larger animals could cause the pitchers to rot faster, but has anybody noticed and increase in growth and production in the result of neps catching vertebrates? Its just got me thinking and now I'm just curious.


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Food is food.
The plant will take in nitrogen and phosphorus from whatever critter is unlucky enough to be caught. It might do better with frogs and lizards on a couple of notes.
Being more massive than a bug, more food.
Also, frogs and lizards are predators, so they have a higher percentage of nitrogen and phosphorus than most bugs.
However, higher amounts of organic matter can promote mold and fungus, possibly accelerating the demise of the pitcher.
Last year, my ventrcosa was just slowly doing its thing until the Japanese Beetles came out in force. I began stuffing all the pitchers I could, eventually crushing skulls before I put them in so they wouldn't simply climb out. Within a month it exploded in growth, over doubling in size. It will see an increase in growth as long as the feeding is sustained.

Cool.
Thanks, Chef!

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truncata eating frogs and lizards sounds like it would make a good entry for this month's photo contest

elaineo wrote:truncata eating frogs and lizards sounds like it would make a good entry for this month's photo contest

Indeed it would! But I fear that posting a photo of a rotting vertebrate soup slushie would be a bit gruesome...

Plus, I've already entered something a bit more PG!

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Just keep it for next Thanksgiving's eating, I mean photo, contest.

Panman wrote:Just keep it for next Thanksgiving's eating, I mean photo, contest.

Aye, now that's a good idea!

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