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What carnivorous plant provides a home for ants?

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By Chelsie Vandaveer

July 15, 2001

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

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Killer Picks: Professionally Designed Gardens—>Click here.

Carnivorous trumpet plant, Venus fly trap and pitcher plant—>Click here.

Fly Parasite, Green Lacewings (Chrysoperla rufilabris)—>Click here.

Sta-Home™ Lady Beetles—>Click here.

The Twin-spurred Nepenthes, Nepenthes bicalcurata, is an insectivorous vine native to Borneo. At the end of the leaf is a tendril; at the end of the tendril is a fluid filled ascidium (pitcher). The pitcher has what appear to be two fangs under the lid. These fangs often drip with nectar created to attract hungry insects. It is a wickedly seductive plant and it is a death trap for most insects. Most, but not all. The tendril of the N. bicalcurata is hollow and provides a snug home for Colobopsis ants.

Plant of the Week 10/29/2001

Nepenthes bicalcurata Hooker
Plant of the Week 10/29/2001

Although, the Nepenthes receive most of their nutrients from insects that have fallen into their pitchers, too many insects start to decompose and foul the digestive fluid in the pitcher. When the fluid becomes fouled, the pitcher withers and dies. The loss of a pitcher is a tremendous drain on the energy resources of the plant.

The Colobopsis ants can swim and they swim in a fluid designed to tranquilize, drown, and digest insects. They can also climb the slippery sides of the pitcher. The ants remove large insects, preventing the early loss of the pitcher. The ants receive a home and food for the taking. And the Nepenthes is saved from a case of insect indigestion.

The traps of a Nepenthes bicalcurata can be viewed in the banner at the top of the Renfield's Garden default page.

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

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Carnivorous Kit

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Hungry Houseplants Eat Insects!

Clear plastic dome holds a titillating trio: trumpet plant, Venus fly trap and pitcher plant. Fascinating to watch in feeding action! Directions included.

Potted. Zones: 8 - 10 (20° F.)

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Comments: 3 types of plants. Require high humidity and warm conditions. Clear plastic dome holds trumpet plant, venus fly trap and a pitcher plant.

Prefers about 70 to 100 degrees during the growing season along with high humidity. Allow plants to go dormant at about 35-50 degrees as typically reached in their native habitat during december thru early march. Do not allow to freeze as plants will die. Keep soil damp, but not standing in water.

Plants do not have to eat bugs to be healthy. Any inorganic fertilizers are okay to use provided that you dilute them to about 10% of their normal rate. Mist with fertilizer solution every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season.

Fly Parasite

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Controls All Types of Flies

Tiny insect lays eggs in fly pupae. Parasites feed on, methodically destroy their prey--actually kill up to 95% of their targets.

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Green Lacewings
Chrysoperla rufilabris

Gardens Alive!®

Best All-purpose garden predator!

Lacewings are the best all-purpose predator for your garden or greenhouse. The larvae have a ferocious appetite for aphids, mealybugs, immature scales and whiteflies, thrips, spider mites and other plant pests.

Chrysoperla rufilabris: For greenhouses or outdoors when humidity is high due to weather or irrigation.

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Comments: About 10 lacewing eggs per plant or 1,000 eggs per 200 square feet will control a moderate aphid population. For best results, we recommend three successive releases.

As a preventative measure, use 1,000 eggs per 900 square feet. If larvae haven't reduced pests in a week, release another batch or use another form of control.

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They stay longer in your garden, cleaning up aphids and other pests!

Adult lady beetles and their larvae are an excellent, non-chemical way to control aphids, Colorado potato beetles (egg stage) and other insect pests in your garden.

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...screened to remove patasitoid-infested beetles
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Up to 20% of the lady beetles shipped by other companies are parasitized. So, not only will their lady beetles die shortly after you receive them, but they'll also release parasitoids that will kill any lady beetles previously in your garden.

Our Sta-Home lady beetles arrive healthy and ready to feed on pests! Females immediately lay eggs, which provide a second wave of pest-eaters within a week. And these larvae, which can't fly, have an even bigger appetite than the adults!

We precondition our lady beetles by feeding them a healthy diet to encourage egg laying. We also remove all parasitoid-infesting beetles so they don't attack your purchased or existing beetles.

One package of about 900 Sta-Home adults will produce more than 10,000 pest-eating larvae in your garden within 30 days! We ship at the proper time for your area or on the date you specify.

Note: We take great care to ensure that your insects arrive safely and in good health, ready for your garden. We normally ship them on Monday or Tuesday so they arrive before the weekend.