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Pitcher nectar/syrup

I know I'm risking this thread being a bit of a joking fest but here goes....

I was doing a late night check last night on my glasshouse, and noticed that many of my neps were producing quite large amounts of nectar from the pitchers.  This is much more than usual and coinciding with a recent bout of rapid pitcher growth and increased pitcher size in many of my plants.

So... being a bit of a sniffer and taster I dabbed a few for a taste test.  Vetntricosa, Alata, Raff and a few others were as expected... syrupy and sweet with little other flavour.

However, I then tried a bit from a Maxima pitcher.  Wholly cow... what a nasty after-taste.  I can't explain what it was like other than very strong and kind of 'sickly'.

Now, I know most of you will have done the same thing but have you experience nectar that had a strong taste (other than the sweetness)?  AND... any thoughts as to why?

My best guess is simply to add to the attractiveness of the nectar, and therefore pitcher, to prey.

Aaron.
 
i think it attracts prey. the same thing with flowers, my mom's asiatic star gazer lillies are dripping with nectar in the center, and i tasted it and it was sweet
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in the case of a flower, it's to attract pollinators, not prey.

i think, that MAYBE the maxima had a bad taste becuase it contained considerably higher levels of the narcotic that intoxicates insects?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]i think, that MAYBE the maxima had a bad taste becuase it contained considerably higher levels of the narcotic that intoxicates insects?

Good thought.

I'd love to get it tested some how to see what it was made up of.

Aaron.
 
I like truncata, rajah, and alata and bical. Al others are not really neither tasty nor sweet.
 
hey everyone,

you all getting drunk on nep nectar?
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Christian
 
Hi Aaron:

I think I know the reason why the maxima digestive fluid was sickly. Maybe the pitcher contained a decomposing insect body inside!

Nep nectars are not beer mate!. Is there a pub near you?
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LOL.

Nectar, not pitcher fluid Gus.  I would NEVER try the fluid...YUCK!

Fluid being what is inside the bottom of the pitcher (i.e digestive fluid).

Nectar being the sticky viscous stuff that is produced on the lid, peristome, etc.

Though... maybe you could ferment/brew the pitcher fluid?  Maybe a whole new range of healthy beverages???

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Aaron.
 
I've tasted ventricosa x truncata, and that was like honey. Tasty! Also quite viscous.

I then tried campanulata (mine makes a lot of nectar), which was much thinner (more liquidy), and less sweet.
 
Yes, yes, this is all very nice but this tells me nothing!
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The big Q. is......how are they on pancakes?



Joe
 
  • #10
Don't some species put chemicals in the nector to drug the insects? I bet that would make them tast funky.
 
  • #11
I must admit that ive tried a few of my neps and some are very sweet but my spathulata x Maxima has a wicked after taste,almost bitter.

 Bye for now  julian
 
  • #12
O.K Aaron I got it now. For some reason I was thinking of the nectar as pitcher fluid. sorry for the mixup

Gus
 
  • #13
I'm adverse to tasting anything that's had any risk of touching a bug. Nectar, digestive fluid, or otherwise. ;)

I imagine there's some severe bacteria in that stuff, being that they love super humid environments and all.
 
  • #14
For real man. I always say I'll eat anything, but I'm not curious enough to try that. You guys can feast up though:;): .
 
  • #15
Try this for dubious concoctions:
At our Fourth of July picnic, some people brought the makings for homeade ice cream. Not unusual, but they made it by putting the mix together and POURING LIQUID NITROGEN OVER IT!!! It just "boils out' or "evaporates" or whatever you call it. I was thinking "no way", but when they passed it out and 95% were eating it, I figured if everyone started dropping, I would have enough time to call an ambulance for me, lol. It was ...interesting. Not bad, but I am one of the wierdos that don't appreciate the lumpy, very vanillaness of homemade IC.

Joe
 
  • #16
Being serious again… looking at it from the opposite stance to those that worry about germs, bugs, nasties, etc (which I fully understand BTW even if I do not practice your caution).  Is there not a fair bit of references to pitcher fluid (the stuff inside the pitcher) being used in more ancient times for treating eye infections?  Plus pitchers and their associated contents being used for cooking food and carrying water?  I know there may be qualifications to this such as the pitchers being cleaned first, the fluid being used form unopened pitchers, etc, but still…..

Not that I actually know one way or the other, but I would actually think that, a healthy plant an pitcher, would be quite hygienic and sterile, with the only real risk being from chemicals produced by the plant, assuming they do produce any that are harmful to humans?

Any actual FACTS that are known?

Aaron.
 
  • #17
i've heard of people who get irritated skin by digestive fluid. nothing harmfull

i imagine it's like being stung by an anemone, when i had a reef aquarium i would occasionally get stung my by anemone.
 
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