What the hell is this!?

[glider14]

found inside my Sarracenia pitchers. they stop up the opening with like a bown webbing. and then i open them up and there are these worms and poo pellets all over the inside of the pitcher. WHAT IS IT! and how do i kill them!?

Alex

 

[tommyr]

ICK! Don't know but I think it wants a hug!

LOL!

 

[Nepenthes]

Lol that's a nappy @#$ lookin' bug. It looks like it's eyes are poppin' out or something. Kinda like this lol....

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=253546

 

[tommyr]

Lol that's a nappy @#$ lookin' bug. It looks like it's eyes are poppin' out or something. Kinda like this lol....

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=253546

LOL! I thought it was going to be the old video of the black kid that can do that! She's good!

LOL!!!

 

[Not a Number]

Exyra ridingsii moth larvae - they live in the pitchers and eat them from the inside out. The adult moths are not caught in the pitchers. The adults spend most of their time inside the pitchers too.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/52018/bgpage
http://bugguide.net/node/view/40429/bgpage

You can read about how Exyra fax operates (specific to Sarracenia purpurea other Exyra are similar in habit) here:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3845/is_200601/ai_n17183701

See also Donald Schnell's "Carnivorous Plants of the United States and Canada" which describes these moths.

 

[Sarraceniaobsessed]

As above post stated, Exyra moth. VERY VERY BAD! you do NOT want these in your collection. Unchecked they can do serious damage to the pitchers. Check every pitcher for these and kill them. The only spray i have forund that works is BT sprayed inside each and every pitcher. It is important to cut off and dispose of all pitchers each winter/spring to prevent reinfestation. They winter over in the pitchers. The adult moths hide just inside the pitchers and fly around at night laying eggs.