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Trap has developed a black spot on it

I noticed that one of my traps has developed a black spot on the outside of it, and the trap is currently closed eating an ant. I looked at the top of it and it appears to be completely shut, so it's not like the bug is sticking out of it allowing bacteria to get in. This is one of my biggest, healthiest traps too. Is this a sign that the digestion isn't going too well with it? Does it mean it's going to die soon? Thanks
 
Hello FlytrapNewbie,

I find that red ants tend to burn traps. But I think this is only when the ant bites the trap. I fed a plant of mine 5 red ants. 2 traps opened and 3 had the black holes. However 1 of the three burnt traps opened partially. I could see that the burn marks came from the ants mouth pincers. I also find that ants tend to burn Drosophyllum leaves if it is cought by one. I'm afraid your trap won't be able to funtion. However at least the leaves will be intact to photosynthesize, make food, and use that food to make more traps!

Hope this helps
 
I would cut off that particular trap - and nothing else. Green is good. Photosynthesis is taking place.
 
I should cut off the trap, even in the middle of it still digesting a bug? Or should I wait for it to reopen to cut it off? It's not the entire trap that is black by the way, just a spot on it. And I think it's a carpenter ant that it caught. Pretty big one too. If the bug is slightly larger than the rule of thumb, which is a third the size of the trap, could that have caused the black spot too? Thanks.
 
I see no reason to wait. Photosynthesis is more important and there will be other bugs.
 
Uh, if you don't want to get grossed out then I suggest you cut off the trap. I fed an overlarge ant/wasp/bug with massive mouthparts to one of my traps less than twice its size and half an hour later I saw the bugger trying to chew its way out of the trap. Lesson learnt: Do NOT feed huge wasps with huge mouthparts to your VFT...
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If you see *drool* spiling out of the sides of the traps then that means the ant could be half digested or trying to bite/burn its way out - heard they use acid - I killed a few of my sundews trying that.

Personally I wouldn't worry. If the bug escapes so what? The leaf will die but the VFT will make new ones. Cutting the leaf off will neither help nor hurt.
 
I just cut the two traps off that developed the black spots. And I've decided that I'm not going to feed it any more ants since both of those traps had ants in them. Every other trap that I've fed so far haven't had any problems at all and I fed them spiders, flies, pillbugs, etc. I have so many other traps sprouting up that it's not a big deal anyway. I have a feeling this little plant is going to be picture worthy soon.
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I've noticed ants tend to burn VFTs, sundews, and pings. They have formic acid in them, and this is probably what does it. Pitcher plants probably escape harm because the plant tissue is tougher, and the acid gets diluted more.
 
Yeah and don't forget pitcher plants HAVE acid in them...If the ant releases acid in the pitcher all I could think it would do is to help digest the ant itself.
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  • #10
It depends on the KIND of ant.. those half-inch skinny darting ones that annoy the hell out of you do fine with my VFTs, but others may not. I've had the black spot thing happen before. I'd be in a funk too if it was my favorite individual trap, but it's nothing to worry about. I let mine catch their own food.

Jason, if the ant's acid, already inside the ant body, wasn't killing it already, I doubt it's going to hurt it once it's expelled. Seems to make sense that the ant would be immune to it's own acid. That's like dying from biting your tongue.
 
  • #11
Trust me, Tanya speaks from experience! Painful experience. Repeated painful experience.
 
  • #12
What he said.
 
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