I'd like to get a venus flytrap for my grandaughter, but with winter coming there won't be any flies around. Is there an alternative food to get ?
1006382
They go dormant in the winter unless you put them under lights. You don't have to feed them during slow times the bugs are really fertilizer not food. However we used tiny freeze dried fresh water shrimp during a science fair project & that worked. They sell them as fish food in pet stores.
1006383
They actually don't need food! They don't grow very fast without food! Just provide a sunny location! Go by instructions that come with the plant, if you buy it from Joel's Carnivous Plants on Amazon! You can also ask Joel anything about these plants. Hope this has been helpful!!!
1006384
The flytrap doesn't require meat. It still absorbs other nutrients. Also, it will most likely go dormant soon for the Winter.
1006385
No need to worry because of photosynthesis. If you are really concerned a mealworm will suffice. Bet source for answers I found is at http://venusflytrap.info/how-to-grow-venus-flytraps_feeding.html.
1878678
I have no clue. It must have been because I got a ton of delicious lemons. Then the tree died. I had it for about a year and a half. It was fun.. Downside is that it was crazy hard to keep the fruit flies away.
1453592
That is specifially why I bought it. We have pet turtles and because of feeding them fruits and veggies, we get the fruit flies too. They aren't easy to whack, they are hard to see, but it does work on them. I haven't had an occasion to use it for mosquitoes yet.
1342510
We eat straight from the garden also and haven't noticed any eggs. I believe the ladybugs lay their eggs on the leaves...so eat up!
408135
I read at another site they only need 2 flies per month. Of course in winter time they go dormant.
1470642
I don't know that for sure but Amazon has products for flies only. Search for it on Amazon. I see a 5 star product by OFF! just for flies.
961031
My sister made several veggie and fruit smoothies while visiting us - she used leafy vegetables - baby spinach, romaine,etc. It worked well for that. But I don't think you'd get beet juice or carrot juice! (I used frozen mango chunks in it; it made a God-awful racket, even after I added some juice but it did finally make a puree for a smoothie with vanilla frozen yogurt. YUM!
1607658
You can order them anytime and keep them in refrigerator. I used a plastic cup for each casing with very fine mesh-like cheesecloth or organza fabric piece over the top secured by a rubber band. As long as it is cold, they will not hatch. Check with a good garden shop to find out when they would be hatching normally then take them from the refrigerator and leave the cups (covered as I describe) out for anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks ahead (a guess...I didn't keep track of the elapsed time) Weekends you will want to take them home or have a student's family take them for once they hatch they look for food and, if not put out in the garden, eventually they will begin eating each other, I have been told. A great many hatch from each casing. They are the size of mosquitos....perfect miniature praying mantis once they emerge from the casing and shed an outer 'cocoon-like covering. You can carefully take them out by hand or shake the container around. Try to spread them around the area so that they will have room to find insects. If you are lucky, a few will live and you will see them....one or more inches long and very green...in your garden. I just thought...if you had a bunch of containers, each of your children could take some home with them and distribute in their own gardens. My grandchildren have been so excited to spot one or more of their grown up 'babies' midway through the summer. Good luck
1328996
My plants r only a couple feet tall. If they would u couldn't eat it. Don't know how they will fair after winter. Wish me luck. Sharon
950980
I buried mine in my garden, but other options might be to bury it deep in your compost pile or empty the trap into a bag and then dump into your yard debris recycle bin right before pick-up. (If your trash/recycling company allows you to add "food scraps" to your recycling.) One warning - new flies are attracted by the smell of the bait, so be prepared for flies to swarm around the empty trap until you get a chance to clean it and to be very interested in where ever you dump the old bait. (Burying it might sound like over-kill, but even a few inches of dirt seemed to make the new flies lose interest and go elsewhere.)
1990937
Preferably live bugs. Most of the time they catch enough on their own. I have a baggie over one of my plants to provide greenhouse humidity, and it still seems to catch tiny moths and gnats. Always use only distilled or R/O water and the flytrap growing media. Every time I have tried to vary from this, I have started the slow demise of my plant.
991155
Hello MMWI can't get rid of anything!This thing is not worth the trouble to order.But, here is something I tried with rats and squirrels that were eating my auto wires and gas lines. Also in my riding mower.MINT! Try and put mint plants in the area you see the lizards.What I do is bundle fresh mint and attach it under the hood.Works great.I hope this has helped.David
1113099
The only critters I've found has been a few fruit flies this last week, and very few considering the ones around my vegetables and fruit in the basket. I have been really happy so far, no others bugs but these. Thankfully they only are around for a week or two each year. Hope this helps with your decision. I'm really happy with this product so far.
132647
Hi Laura, I don't think it's too late at all. Many plants are still infested with aphids which will feed the ladybugs. Ladybugs can live up to two years and will hibernate through the winter. I have found ladybugs coming out of hibernation within a large piece of driftwood laying against the south side of my home. Whether they will lay viable eggs this year I do not know. I'm sure the good people at Hirts would be able to answer most of your questions regarding reproduction. I hope this is helpful. Sincerely, Gayla/Grace
2214163
They only work for me when it's over 90 degrees. Last summer we only had 4 or 5 days over 90 and I killed more with my fly swatter than they caught. When its hot, they fill up fast. Make sure to hang in the sun.
1752479
I'm having a constant fruit fly problem. I'm about to resort to neem oil, I think they may have laid eggs inside of it. I open it up daily and at least 50 or 60 fly out.
1002530
You absolutely CANNOT feed it chopped beef or shrimp. Processed foods will not be digested by the plant's enzymes and instead will stick around and rot the traps. Venus fly traps will capture sufficient flies on their own. Think about how small the plant is; it really doesn't need that much extra nutrition so you don't need to feed it. Nevertheless, it can be fun to do so but only with flies that you've caught and killed, not human food.