What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Eaten Growth Points...

EdaxFlamma

The Consuming Flame
Just a few moments ago I went to check out my mini-bog and after seeing a few deformed pitchers coming from my S. catesbaei I decided I better have a closer look.

The other day we had been shucking corn on the front porch near my mini-bog and just plucked out the corn worms that were nibbling on our precious corn. But little did I know that they liked Sarracenia as well...

Back to the bog I found that all the growing points on EVERY one of my S. catesbaei (the only pitcher plant I currently have) by none other than a fat happy corn worm. At first I thought it was mites or some other tiny insect, even aphids perhaps, but no... after a detailed overlook I found the bugger curled up inside one of the pitchers. Needless to say I then played a quick game of Vlad the Impaler before placing him back into the pitcher but now I have a problem.

Will all of my plants kick the bucket now that the growing tips have been eaten or will the rhizome be fine and branch off to produce more growing points?

Thank you very much for your time,
-J.P.
 
the catesbaei you sent me also had a worm on it. it ate the main growth point....BUT then it exploded with new growth points and tons of beautiful pitchers! i think right now i have 5-6 growth points...not bad if i do say so myself :-D
Alex
 
Really!?!?! I would ask for a refund if I was you...

What kind of worm was it? Could you give me a description? I repotted all of them before I sent it to you... I let the peat and perlite soak in a closed plastic bag for 3 days before hand too... Was it a small translucent worm or a big brown one? *the big brown one he found today*

Regardless your plant is ok? haha... It's sad... now I'm more worried about your plant than mine...

Keep me updated...
-J.P.
 
I hate corn worms, but I do love corn. The plant will be fine, so long as you've removed the worm! LOL It'll just start over with new pitchers or branch out.
 
Thanks... I hope so... It looks like it tried to get into the heart of the rhizome but couldn't or just decided the new leaves tasted better.... so the chew marks are pretty deep... maybe it will just branch out. I might repot it this weekend just to be safe..

-J.P.
 
Are you sure those are corn worms? The best answer is a simple answer, but not too simple. I forget the species, but there is a moth or fly that lays an egg on Sarracenia.
 
hmm I'm not sure. It looked almost exactly like one of the worms we pulled out of the corn... I could be wrong...

-J.P.

EDIT: I am almost positive that this is what it was:
http://www.life.uiuc.edu/ib/109/Insect rearing/corn earworm.html

Mods please let me know if posting this link is... *cant think of the right word* ...not good. haha...
 
hmm...no i had a green worm.
 
Sorry about that Glider... but it's fine now?
If you want to rework it all please PM me about that.

-J.P.
 
  • #10
no. no damage was ultimately done :) if it makes you feel any better ill take a pic of it and show you how well is doing
Alex
 
  • #11
Moth species that attack Sarracenia:

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5520.html

"The three species of moths in the genus Exyra eats the pitcher tissue, causing the top of the pitcher to topple over. Exyra rolandiana feasts only upon S. purpurea, Exyra ridingsii eats S. flava, and Exyra semicrocea infests the other species. "

and

"The larvae of the moth Papaipema appasionata bores into the rhizome and causes great damage to the plant. I have also seen a great deal of damage to the fruit of Sarracenia purpurea in New Jersey, apparently caused by the larvae of the moth Endothenia daeckeana." (emphasis mine)

Photos of the the Exyra nigrocaput adult and larva can be seen here. (Barry are there four species of Exra that munch Sarracenia?)

http://www.botany.org/carnivorous_plants/Sarracenia_flava.php

You can induce growing points on Sarracenia rhizomes by cutting notches on the top, maybe the chewed portions have the same effect.
 
  • #12
Would a shot of Ortho Systemic be a good idea just in case?

Thanks,
-J.P.
 
Back
Top