Two “myths” about coloring up traps… Fact or Fiction?

[joossa]

After reading several sites, care sheets, books, etc. on VFTs I have retained two particular statements about coloring up a VFT’s traps:
1) Traps tend to color up more easily in fall, as the plant is entering dormancy.
2) Traps tend to color up more easily if the plant has not had a “meal” in a long time. The red color inside the traps will intensify in color and therefore, increase the chances of attracting an insect to its doom.

In your experience are any of the two statements above true or at least slightly true? I know the genetics of the plant and the amount and type of lighting the plant receives are main factors that determine how well traps will color up, but have any of you noticed that the above factors affect “the red”?

So far, from my experience I can say that statement #2 has not proven to be true in any of my VFTs…

 

[vraev]

I know 1 is true. My B52 shows faded colours in summer,,but close to fall last year...it had the reddest traps

hmm,...2 is a lttle wierd. I noticed that my plants started colouring up once I started feeding them. Basically when I got it..for like 3 -4 months the traps were pretty pale pink. I started feeding them.....those traps died...but the new ones were more intense red. I guess it may have a co-relation of the flytrap trying to be resourceful minimise on the digestive glands if you don't need them?? I don't know.

But yeah,....only recently ..i,e., 1 week ago I fed my old typical a earwig...till then its traps were blood shot red that even bled out to the outer part of the trap making it look like a RED line cultivar.

 

[Not a Number]

I don't know about #1, but I've noticed my typicals color up more after meals. I noticed early spring when I feed one of my typicals that the fed leaf turned a slightly darker green and the blush eventually spread to the rest of the plant.

According to Henning the spectacular growth with B52s is in the late summer and fall so B52s may not be the best example to judge general coloring patterns due to season.

 

[elgecko]

I have noticed #1 to be true.
I my experience #2 is not true.

As stated genetics seem to have a large outcome to how red the traps become.

Another observation.
I split up the VFT's in my minibog which gets full sun all day. I had to place many of the extras in an area that gets filtered sunlight instead of direct sunlight all day. Many of the plants in the filtered sunlight have better color to the traps then the ones in full sun.
I have also noticed this when I have had some as windowsill plants which get very little direct sunlight but very bright indirect sunlight.

 

[joossa]

Another observation.
I split up the VFT's in my minibog which gets full sun all day. I had to place many of the extras in an area that gets filtered sunlight instead of direct sunlight all day. Many of the plants in the filtered sunlight have better color to the traps then the ones in full sun.
I have also noticed this when I have had some as windowsill plants which get very little direct sunlight but very bright indirect sunlight.

Interesting... it matches what Bugweed mentioned in the VFT Tanning sticky topic. All of mine are out in full direct sun all day and none of them are showing brilliant red traps. The Typicals and Dente are only slightly pink. Even the Fine Tooth X Red and Big Mouth (which are supposed to color up quite easily) are growing very light red traps. The only one that's red under my conditions is the Red Dragon, but that's expected.

Makes me want to experiment with their growing location.....

 

[Alexis]

I would say 1 is try for a few plants, but most look their reddest in late summer.

Number 2 is a nice theory, but there is no evidence of it.

 

[elgecko]

Here's a picture to prove about filtered sunlight coloring VFT's traps better then full sun.

The top picture, in the middle of my minibog I have my Dentate Traps. You will notice that the traps have a slight pink color to them. These are plants that get full sun all day.

The bottom picture shows divisions of the same Dentate Traps plants that are growing in filtered sunlight. These plants show a redder trap, that get less sunlight, not more.

 

[vraev]

Well...I guess colouration is still a very complex response from the plant. However, I would assume that colouration is actually a response to protect itself from being sunburnt. SO basically, a pinkish hue VFT is already in perfect condition. I guess we push them a bit further for the much wanted REDS.

 

[Clint]

But why? I don't comprehend how less sun = more color. And also, to make it more confusing, this doesn't happen in ever case.

ahhh.

 

[NeciFiX]

#2 sounds bogus.

 

[bpullin]

Usually coloration in most plants intensifies with more UV light. That's generally why plants grown under grow lights have more coloring in the leaves and flowers. Similar to why UV causes people to tan. Maybe the partially shaded areas block some of the light spectrum which prevents intense coloration and allows UV to get in there and do its thing. I've gotten my worst sunburns on hazy, partially cloudy days. UV rays still get through even though other light rays get blocked.

Hope I didn't ramble too badly.

 

[Clint]

Prevents intense coloration? What? We want intense color!

You'd think we'd be able to cheat and use a UV lamp for 5 minutes a day over our terraria to get good color. Guess not

 

[xvart]

2) Traps tend to color up more easily if the plant has not had a “meal” in a long time. The red color inside the traps will intensify in color and therefore, increase the chances of attracting an insect to its doom.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this, but I have read, in a few places, that once a bug has been trapped that trap will no logger "color up" anymore. I'm sure this falls into your "myth" category or bogus information as has been stated here, and since it seems to defy logic, but I thought I would mention it... Maybe it was all just a dream...

xvart.

 

[bpullin]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this, but I have read, in a few places, that once a bug has been trapped that trap will no logger "color up" anymore. I'm sure this falls into your "myth" category or bogus information as has been stated here, and since it seems to defy logic, but I thought I would mention it... Maybe it was all just a dream...

xvart.

Man! I just love pseudo-science! Actually xvart, that makes sense. Red is used by the plant to attract flies, right? That whole dead meat thing. If a trap catches dinner, and it isn't red, then maybe there is a chemical signal telling the plant that it doesn't need to be red? Maybe help save its strength. If the trap doesn't catch anything over a certain period of time, then maybe another chemical tells it to create red pigment, so it can attract dinner?

But still, plants grown indoors under lights have some great color. Sooo, is it the lights, or the lack of a regular meal?

 

[joossa]

Man! I just love pseudo-science! Actually xvart, that makes sense. Red is used by the plant to attract flies, right? That whole dead meat thing. If a trap catches dinner, and it isn't red, then maybe there is a chemical signal telling the plant that it doesn't need to be red? Maybe help save its strength. If the trap doesn't catch anything over a certain period of time, then maybe another chemical tells it to create red pigment, so it can attract dinner?

This goes back to #2. All my “green” VFTs (Dentes and Typicals) have been outside in full sun since February. None have had a meal since then, and all of them have shown absolutely no significant increase in red throughout the 5 months. In addition, the UV index in my area has frequently gotten to 10+ every day within the last month or so, which is considered extreme…. And still no increase in red.

Like Clint suggested, this is all probably not explained in simple or “easy” terms. I guess it’s a combination of several variables at different times throughout the year. How many variables does it take to color up a trap… the world may never know.

 

[Jefforever]

Elgecko post is interesting. I find my ones in the greenhouse are coloured well. If you want color, try pine-needles. I heard somewhere that they work.

 

[vraev]

OOH! this just struck me: lol!

Consider the following situation:

A VFT in the wild covered by overhanging vegetation needs a better and a more visible way to attract bugs. A VFT out in the open doesn't need it as its pretty visible already. So...this would make sense... buried under dense vegetation = lower light = more colour to attract bugs| WHereas, open in the sun .. able to get all the light it needs = visible enough already.... = why waste on pigment production.

 

[vraev]

awww...comeon' guys! I thought that was a really good plausible explaination for the colouring. What do you guys think??

 

[Alexis]

But a plant kept covered by vegetation will not colour up!

 

[Not a Number]

Coloring seems to be a function of the individual plant (genetics) as much as the photoperiod and spectra that the plant receives. Consider the following photo (click thumbnail for larger size):

1. 'Cupped Trap'
2. 'Sawtooth'
3. 'Jaws'
4. Sarracenia 'John's Autumnal Splendor'
5. Sarracenia 'Hummer's Hammerhead'
6. Sarracenia 'Dixie Lace'
7. 'Akai Ryu'
8. Drosera filiformis ssp filiformis "Florida Giant"
9. Typical a
10. Typical b
11. 'B52' a
12. 'B52' b
13. Sarracenia hybrid probably 'Judith Hindle'
14. Sarracenia hybrid probably 'Judith Hindle'
15. Drosera anglica
16. 'B52' c
17. Sarracenia oreophila "Sand Mountain #2"

Of the VFTs -
1, 9 & 10 ('Cupped Trap', Typical #1 & #2) have been getting afternoon sun outdoors since Feb. As you can see #9 (Typical a) is almost devoid of red.
2, 11 & 12 ('Sawtooth, 'B52' a, & 'B52' c) have been getting the same sun since the middle of April. The difference between the two 'B52's (a) & (b) is that (b) was under an eight tube T5 SunLeaves fixture for two months longer (18 hour photo period).
#16 ('B52' c) has been outside since May.

As you can see there is quite a bit of difference in the two typicals growing side by side in the same light.

The traps on #12 ('B52' b) start out with red only on the inside but eventually color up completely maroon on the inside and outside. #11 ('B52' a) has not shown this coloring. They should be genetic clones of the same plant.