Question

Sick Flytrap   QUESTION: Hi Steve, I got your message about my photo not showing up~ it's possible the file was too big..I'll try again and make the file smaller.  Resubmitting question....
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Hello~  I purchased a couple Venus Flytraps from Sarracenia Northwest last year (one is a Dente). They made it through the winter and now the sun is out, however as the Dente is flourishing, the other flytrap is slow in growing and looks deformed (leafs are spiraling, traps look crinkly).  I'm attaching a couple photos of the 2 plants together for comparison and also of the sick flytrap by itself.  I remember how it looked last year and it was so much better looking and perky.  I am wondering if it got a fungus.  I got some Neem and sprayed it just in case.  I transplanted both plants this spring in a mix of 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 perlite.  But I was reading on one of the questions that bagged peat moss can be bad and may have fertilizer.  Well, this was what a I used, the small bagged variety.  I hope that isn't the cause.  Should I try a systemic fungacide like Thiomyl if it's fungus?  I got that for my orchids, but am not sure it would be good for a
flytrap.  Thanks so much!!

ANSWER: If the bagged peat moss was Miracle-Gro brand, it probably has added fertilizer. If it is another brand, it probably doesn't and is alright to use, but carefully read the ingredients on the bag, if you still have it.

Regarding the plant that appears unusual and possibly damaged, if it has already produced a flower stalk, then the odd-looking growth might be just an example of the varied kinds of anomalous growth that can occur just after the plant produces a flower stalk. Otherwise, I would suspect insect rather than fungal damage. There may be some very small insects on the plants (the photos aren't large enough to know for sure) such as thrips or mites, or there may be mealybugs, invisible because they are under the surface of the soil.

I would suggest a spray of systemic insecticide such as acephate (do an internet search for acephate or acephate 75 SP), an organophosphate that is absorbed by the plant and makes all parts poisonous to any insect that sucks on or chews the plant for about 4-6 weeks. You can follow up with a second and even third spray for stubborn insects.

If the problem is spider mites (you'll probably have to use a jeweler's or geologist's magnifying loupe to see these tiny pests), then it would be good to use a dedicated miticide in the spray, in addition to acephate, and because spider mites have such a rapid reproduction cycle, 3-5 followup sprays will probably be necessary spaced 4-5 days apart.

If you wish, you could join an online carnivorous plant forum, post photos and questions and get a variety of helpful answers. Two recommeded forums--

FlytrapCare.com Forum
http://www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/

CPUK Forum
http://www.cpukforum.com/

Best wishes and good luck, -Steve


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QUESTION: Thanks for your input Steve, I do want to add (and I forgot to mention) since reading your answer, that this flytrap did start to put up a flower stalk about a 1/2" a few weeks ago, and I cut it off.  I thought that since it wasn't doing as well as the other plant the flower would deplete it.  If this is the cause of the curling etc., how long before the plant comes out of it?  I will still follow up and investigate the systemic insect killer you mentioned.  Thanks again!

ANSWER: Very often a Venus Flytrap will develop an odd-looking mass of rapidly developing and growing cells (like genetically undifferentiated stem cells or cancer cells) as the first growth that occurs after producing a flower stalk. This is natural and normal. This mass of cells represents a vigorous growth spurt and can produce a few weird leaves before the plant "stabilizes" again. This is just one of many seemingly primitive and interesting characteristics of Venus Flytraps.

However, the leaves on your "sick" plant also look typical of insect damage including aphids, thrips, spider mites and possible mealy bugs, so it wouldn't hurt to buy a systemic insecticide like acephate and do a spray or two, even if it's just for preventive purposes. I usually do a preventive (or preemptive) spray about 3-4 times a year, once or twice in Spring, again in Summer, then in Fall, and sometimes in Winter, and if insects do attack, I spray the plants multiple times over the course of 2-3 weeks depending on exactly which insect. Aphids and spider mites can both do very much damage in little time. Aphids are easy to kill with acephate, while spider mites, because they lay eggs which aren't killed and which hatch days later, are harder to eradicate and usually require 3-5 sprays not only with acephate (or some other insecticide) but including a dedicated miticide as well, such as Pentac or Avid.

Best wishes--

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok, I'll try the systemic insect spray.  I'm sure it's a good idea if anything, to use as a preventive measure like you said.

About the mitacide...I did a search on it and it's pretty spendy online (8 oz of Avid for $109!). I checked my local nursery and couldn't find a dedicated bottle, but mixed in, such as Neem.  Do you know of a good place to buy it that is reasonable?  Or....do you know of a good home-remedy that could work on spider mites?

Thanks again so much!

Answer
Spider mites reproduce very fast and once established damage the plant generally too fast to have the luxury of experimenting with different remedies to find one that works well, unless you consider the plant(s) expendable.

I have never tried neem oil, but it is recommended by a lot of people for various applications. Regarding miticides, they are often expensive because one is buying a lifetime (or more) supply. I'm not sure where to get it at a reasonable cost.

For acephate, I recommend the following (if you live in the United States)--

http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/Product/Acephate-75-SP--1-lb

Acephate alone is fairly effective at killing almost all insects destructive to Venus Flytraps, but spider mites can recover from eggs even if many die, and it is usually more effective to use a miticide (acaricide) in combination with acephate (or some other systemic insecticide) to eliminate spider mites. Once one has experienced just one outbreak and flare-up of spider mites on one's plants, an expensive miticide can seem worth the price. :-)

Best wishes and good luck--