Turning black when fed

[Jon H]

traps that have been feeding (for about 5 days) have just recently started turning black only where the food is in the trap. Is this normal?

Also, one of my traps that was feeding started to grow mold on it. What causes this? Too much water or uhmm, fungus or what?

Also traps seem to be dieing faster then they are sprouting up or even growing out. Is this normal as well?

Thanks for the help!

 

[PlantAKiss]

A trap will only feed 3-4 times before it blackens and dies off (you can then snip off the dead trap). It is hard to say if your traps dying is normal or not but I would say its probably just a natural dying off. I have VFTs that have several blackened traps at any given time.

It also could be what the traps were eating. Was the bug too large? Were bug parts sticking out? Was it a bug with a stinger or that chews on plants?

Where is your plant located? If its in a terrarium the mold may be due to lack of air circulation.

And yes, it takes a little while for a plant to grow a new trap but generally speaking you will always have working traps while new ones are growing up. Its a constant cycle of die-off and growth.

 

[Jon H]

Bugs werent too large, they were about 1/3 the size of the trap.
Also they were just the can o crickets that I got from PFT.com

The plants are in a terrarium, so it could be the air cirrculation thing...

Thanks.

 

[PlantAKiss]

VFTs appreciate fresh, moving air. If they don't have this, the water and substrate can stagnate, the air will be too humid and you'll get mold and fungus. That is why I always recommend VFTs be grown outside in pots if possible as you will not have these issues. You can do the terrarium thing, you just have to make sure there is fresh air circulating in there to prevent molding in the wet environment.

 

[Amateur_Expert]

(wondering) are the "can'o'cricket" crickets alive?

 

[Jon H]

Nope, they're dead.