FlyTrapCare Forums

I was just wondering if anyone here uses CPs as natural bug control in a house or apartment (gnats, flies, silverfish, whatever). Part of why I picked up my sundew in the first place (aside from it being an awesome plant) was to help control the fruit fly problem we had for a few months in our apartment, and it certainly ate some of them. I also made some cuttings for a friend who's having a serious fruit fly problem to see if they help. I know I can use insecticides and other products (and do for plant-eating pests) but I'd prefer to get rid of bugs naturally.

So, does anyone else use their plants to actively control bugs? If so, did you find certain species work better than others, or is there a minimum number of plants needed to be effective at reducing the bug problem? Or am I crazy to think these plants will do much of anything, other than enjoy any surplus bugs they catch?

i use my sarras and sundews as effective counters again flies and wasp
THEY GET EATEN LIKE NOTHING ELSE!

stitz25b wrote:THEY GET EATEN LIKE NOTHING ELSE!

To catch houseflies, horseflies, blue-bottles, wasps, etc and other 'bigger' insects and bugs, Sarracenia and Darlingtonia does the job for me! It catches a 'TON' of them!

To catch sciarid flies (ie. fungus gnats), lacewings, fruit flies, etc. and other 'small/tiny' insects and bugs, Pings and Droseras usually does the job.

VFTs however, don't really catch that much compared to others. ^

I've used Drosera to clear Flies from peoples cars, Sarracenia to clear Moths, Flies, and Wasps. (Tho' Pinguicula is pretty good at catching Moths)

Nepenthes is good for Flies and Wasps too, and if you have an Ant problem, a few pitchers on the ground with an Ant trail going on to them will absolutley Decimate any Ant colony.

Flytraps can sometimes be used if you have a tonne of Flies, but, as Darkrai said, they aren't usually very effective.
If you have a rat problem, use Nepenthes Rajah.......
Or you can just call John (Snapperhead) to the rescue!

Awesome to hear, thanks! I think I'll redouble my efforts to build up a CP army. Because that took a lot of arm twisting.

Idon't think I could stomach a rat digesting in a pitcher, not for an indoor plant anyway... Also, kind of funny that the best known bug-eating plant is the least useful. I guess it just makes up for it with the cool factor.

I keep giant african land snails, so their food (fresh veggies left for a day) attracts a lot of fruit flies; while I didn't get into the carnivorous plant hobby because I wanted to reduce the population of said flies in my bedroom I do find that my pinguicula are absolutely fantastic at it.

I'm not against fruit flies, but I'm not talking about seeing a random small group buzzing about - I'm talking about hundreds of the buggers. We change the food in my snail tanks every day but a very soggy succulent I was given boosted the populations twenty fold and I've still had issues even throughout winter. I'm athsmatic so I can't use any form of sprays (that and it would also affect my pings), I'm also really into natural solutions so my pinguicula have proven to be a miracle for both my health and that of my snails/fish tanks (fruit flies dying in the water can cause unwanted chemical imbalances... and fruit flies are really annoying when they keep trying to get UP your nose).

My venus fly trap seedlings are also proving to be superb fruit fly catchers, it's amazing.

Grey wrote:fruit flies are really annoying when they keep trying to get UP your nose

My sciarid fly infestation in the cooler months always try to fly up my nose too! 1st of all, you get a tingly sensation, 2nd of all, its disgusting... Uuurrrrrr...