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Little wormy thingys

Hello everyone,

Today, when I was checking on my S. Leucophylia, I saw little worm-like bugs crawling around in the pile of dead bugs in my pitcher.... I counted the little things, there where about 5 or 6 of them, they are about 10mm long, and looked transparent. you can see what they've been eating inside them, and you can also see there little black mouths....

Are they harmfull? what should I do?

Also, I was wondering, should you be able to see nectar all the time at the begining  of the pichers? they used to be moist & stuff, but now, they just look "normal"....

I hope all of you guys can help me....

Greetings & happy growing,

WildFire
 
WF,
Sounds like maggots that have hatched in the pitchers from some flies caught inside. I would not worry to much.

The nectar on the pitchers dries up as the pitchers gets older. It is still there and attracting insects. Could be due to low humidity in your arera too.
 
maggots? everybody else agrees?
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I had my mother take a look, and she said "dat kunnen geen maaien zijn"
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Translation: "that can't be maggots"
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Anyway, I guess looks like my leucophylia is breeding his own food!
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Greetings & happy growing!

WildFire
 
Wildfire, is the worm really thin? If it is I've had this same worm appear in my water trays before. Usually in new plants i just recieved in the mail. I don't think they are maggots. Maggots are usually whitish colored and don't have a black head. I could be wrong though.


-buckeye
 
ehh, hmm, Just a sec, I'll take a realy close & good look......

*runs away to check on his plants*

Yeah, there realy thin, I know maggots, and i thought, maybe these are realy young maggots.... but they don't look like them... What did you do with the worms, buckeye?? And remember, Their INSIDE my S. Leucophylia..... not the watering tray...


Greetings & happy growing,

WildFire
 
Why not just pour some distilled water into the pitchers and drown em?
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I COULD do that, larry, BUT, like buckeye said, if it appeared on his watering tray, I guess they can swim... But anyway, thanx for the idea!

Greetings & happy growing,

WildFire
 
Those are the larvae of sarcophagus flies. They lay their eggs in dead things, and pitcher plants are a perfect place. They won't kill your plant, but they usually will cause the pitcher to turn brown, in the area they are congregated. I always leave mine alone. Unless you plug up every pitcher with cotton balls, you're bound to get them if you keep them outside. I have around 70 sarracenias and at any given time, probably only around 6 pitchers total have maggots in them. If you only have a couple of plants, and want them to look nice, plug the pitchers with cotton balls once they start filling up with bugs. That way, they'll still get a meal, but the sarcophagus flies won't be able to get in there.
 
Thank you, sarracenia!

The picher they're living in right now, is kinda geting old, so I'll leave them in there. I only have one (need more, need more NEED MORE
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) S. Leucophylia, so I'll end up puting cotton bals in them I guess (after they've catcht some bugs ofcourse !
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)

Thanx everybody for the reply's!

Greetings & happy growing,

WildFire
 
  • #10
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">And remember, Their INSIDE my S. Leucophylia..... not the watering tray...[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I've never seen them in the pitchers, but i've also never looked for them. I've only ever seen them in my water trays after buying new plants from a someone in california.  To get rid of them I emptied the water trays and repotted the plant.  This did get rid of them.  I've never seen the worms in any of my water trays since.  So since they live in the pitchers maybe during shipment the pitcher were shaken up and the worms got in the soil.  And then got in the water trays after i unpacked them.  I don't know if they can live and swim in water though.  They seemed like they were moving but they could have just been floating around.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Those are the larvae of sarcophagus flies.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I've never heard of sarcophagus flies.  And since they're flies that would mean the worms are maggots.  Hmm, you learn something new everyday on the forums.  
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    -buckeye
 
  • #11
Well, in my case, they where wigling & crawling all over the dead bugs, so it was kinda hard to ignore them. they've digged deeper now, so it's hard to see them now. The pitcher they live in, has goten a strange big red spot allready, so I guess thats where the eggs where. It's kinda low, so I wonder how many maggots are in there anyway.....

So its like I said, my only S. Leucophylia is breeding his own food! kinda funny if you think about it, it's suppose to eat bugs, not to feed them!

Greetings & happy growing,

WildFire
 
  • #12
I have somethg similar in my pitcher plant, a purpurea. It's kinda long, has a white-creamy body with a brown head. I can also see chew marks on one of the pitchers! I have since dug it out and fed it to my VFT. I also see little brown dots underneath the pitchers of the plant. I've taken most of these out but I'm afraid some are left behind and are eggs! Any idea how I shld get rid of these, and what that was?
 
  • #13
Hello eBeyonder,

If they are the same little worms as I had/have, they only feed on dead bugs. So, I guess if just you turn your purp upside down (make sure it does't fall out of his pot ofcourse&#33
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) they should just fall out. after that, you can fill the pichers with some water again. if their crawling all over the soil & stuff, you have someting diferent then me. i that case, I can't help you...

Greetings & good luck!

WildFire
 
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