We get rid of centipedes on the site, in the house, apartment

Venus flytrap or, another name for it, Dionea is a fairly popular houseplant around the world. Amateurs - flower growers acquire it most often because of its original exotic look, bright color of its traps and unusual, for most indoor plants, behavior. This carnivorous plant is a carnivore. It is very interesting and funny to watch the process of catching an insect with a flycatcher. But caring for a Venus flytrap at home is not an easy task. We will try to help you in this difficult matter.

What is Venus flytrap

Discovered in 1760, the flower was named after the Greek goddess of love, Dione. Dionaea muscipula is a small herbaceous plant of the monotypic genus of the Rosyanka family. The name of the species "muscipula" translates as "mousetrap" - probably the botanist who described the new specimen made a mistake. The English name Dionaea muscipula corresponds to the Russian - Venus flytrap - Venus flytrap.

What does Dionea look like - photo

Description

An adult herbaceous insectivorous plant of the sundew family has a rosette of 4-7 leaves 4-7 centimeters long. The stalk of the flycatcher is bulbous, in length does not exceed 15 cm. Dionea blooms with white flowers that gather in corymbose inflorescences on a long peduncle, and in appearance resemble a star. In nature, a predator flower grows on soils with a low nitrogen content, so mollusks and insects serve as a source of this element for it.

Flycatcher trap leaves are formed after flowering, they consist of two collapsing petals 8-15 cm long and have sparse bristles along the edges. The outer part of the leaves is colored bright green, the inner cavities are reddish. Traps are formed at the end of leaves collected in rosettes - by summer they become longer and take an upright position. There are glands inside the trap doors that produce nectar to attract the victim.

In addition to the bristles at the edges of the collapsing petals, there are three triggers - when an insect hits them, the trap begins to close, and the glands produce digestive secretions. The predatory flower digests food for 5-12 days, after which the petals open again. The duration of digestion depends on the temperature of the air, on the process of digestion, on the size of the victim and on the age of the trap itself. The trap dies off after it digests two or three victims, however, there were cases when one leaf became the grave of seven insects.

general description

In natural conditions, the flycatcher is found in the east of the United States of America, in pine forests in the middle of peat bogs.
She prefers to grow in humid temperate climates, near the pacific coast.

The soil in this region has few nutrients, so Dionea has adapted to the proposed living conditions in her own way, having learned to hunt insects and extract the necessary components from them.

Venerina is a short plant (in natural conditions - twenty centimeters in height, in apartments - ten - twelve). It has four to seven leaves growing from a small underground stem, invisible to the eye.

The long leaves are in two parts.The lower green part of the leaf feeds on light, and the upper trap provides live food. It consists of two flaps with sharp teeth on the edges of each. Three bristles can be found inside each valve, as well as scarlet glands that produce insect-dissolving fluid.

The appearance of the plant depends on the season: in summer, the traps grow large and turn bright burgundy. This is necessary to attract potential victims; insects, seeing the color red, think that the plant has nectar and fall into a trap.

In winter, the predatory flower is in a calm state, so the traps die off, and it seems that the plant has withered and died.

REFERENCE! The mechanism of eating insects is worthy of attention, although it is rather creepy to observe this.

To attract the victim, Venus secretes fragrant nectar. When the insect descends into the trap, it strikes one of the three bristles. The mechanism does not work immediately, this is a kind of protection against empty slamming of the doors, if, for example, a speck gets into them.

When the insect touches the bristle a second time, the trap slams shut loosely, and when it touches the bristle a third time, it closes completely, giving the victim no chance of freedom. After that, digestive juice is released, which dissolves the insect within one to three weeks.

IMPORTANT! The stronger and more actively the insect tries to get out, the tighter the venus flytrap will squeeze the deadly trap.

In late spring and early summer, Dionea blooms with gorgeous white flowers.

Venus flytrap can live up to twenty yearsfunctioning well.

Fighting centipedes with chemicals

If you are not happy that centipedes are just staying away from your home and you are going to exterminate them, read on.

If you have centipede problems only inside your home, you can sprinkle a powdered residual insecticide in the places where flycatchers usually hide - cracks in the walls, dark corners in the basement, on the technical floor and under furniture. Keep in mind that centipedes will need to walk through the powder as they are predators, hunt moving prey and do not go for bait.

You can ward off centipedes from hanging around under your windows by treating the underside and saturating a strip of at least 1.5m wide around your home with residual insecticide for an open environment.

If you don't want to meet centipedes even in the yard, also treat the lawn and the materials you use for gardening. But do not forget that the insecticide itself, apart from other measures, works for a short time. If your yard, house or apartment is damp, littered and full of mouth-watering insects, centipedes will happily return to you.

If you want to poison the centipedes,

but do not want to poison your relatives and pets, use natural pesticides, such as food grade diatomaceous powder, for constant control of centipedes and insects. Products containing plant pyrethrin have a contact effect and can be sprayed as an aerosol.

Diseases and pests

Pests practically do not annoy the flycatcher, although sometimes it can be attacked aphids and spider mites.

Yellowed and fallen leaves signal about insufficient watering.

Yellow, but not falling leaves indicate too hard water.

If the sun burns the leaves or the florist has applied mineral fertilizers, the leaves will appear brown spots.

Brief biological description

So, we have dealt with the taxonomy of scolopendra. It remains to describe them, although it is very difficult. The fact is that there are about 600 species of scolopendra in the world, and sometimes they differ significantly from each other.

The overwhelming majority of species live in tropical and subtropical regions of the Earth, where there is never a winter. The largest individuals, for example, the giant Australian centipede, capable of growing up to 30 cm in length, also live there, "in warm". It even attacks small chicks and toads!

Views

Currently, about 25 species are known that are domesticated. Some types are especially popular.

Venus flytrap Mouth (Dionaea Jaws.)

The traditional form of a flycatcher, only the teeth are triangular in shape. The feeding and care is the same.

Dionea Mouth

Venus flytrap Bristly (Dionaea Bristletooth)

It features bright red traps. The denticles are short and sparse. This species gives a fairly large number of children.

Dionea Bristly

Venus Flycatcher Fondue (Dionaea Fondue)

This species is highly mutated. There are species with traps of different colors, sometimes completely devoid of teeth.

Dionea Fondue

Venus Flytrap Low Giant (Dionaea Low Giant)

Has the biggest traps. Looks very interesting at home. Feeding looks the best.

Dionea Low Giant

Venus flytrap Long red fingers (Dionaea Long Red Fingers)

A very mutated species, it has bowl-shaped traps. The denticles are bright red, often fused. They grow close to each other.

Dionea Long Red Fingers

Venus flytrap Red dragon (Dionaea Red Dragon)

It has original burgundy leaves and traps. With a lack of lighting, the color of the traps fades.

Dionea the Red Dragon

Plant cost

The price of a plant varies depending on the age and rarity of the species in our country. The lowest price is 100 rubles (discounted and small plants, the best option for the first growing experience) and rises to 700 rubles (selected, best specimens). Seeds can be ordered in St. Petersburg for 100 rubles per package. Check expiration dates carefully.

Ways to deal with domestic centipedes

If you absolutely do not want little hunters to live in your neighborhood, there are many methods that will help you get rid of them. The best is to create unfavorable conditions for the existence of centipedes. First of all, put in order the rooms in which dampness may be present, if there is no familiar environment, the flycatchers will look for another habitat.

Since centipedes feed on a variety of insects, try to get them to leave your home. In a room without food, centipedes do not stay for a long time.

It is necessary to replace the old pipes in the bathroom, which may be leaking, to fix all the plumbing. If your apartment has a wooden floor, you need to inspect it well for cracks and holes, and if you find them, carefully repair it. Varnishing floors can also help solve the problem, because flycatchers don't like chemical smells.

You can get rid of a home centipede in the following ways:

1. It's good to clean up around your home. It is necessary to sweep up the fallen leaves, where flycatchers can hide, to free the yard from unnecessary building material, which has been lying for a long time. Centipedes will lose their habitual place of residence and leave your territory.
2. Usually 2-3 flycatchers can live in an apartment, so you can catch them with a box or can and let them out into the street. Just don’t kill the little hunters, even if they look unattractive, but they didn’t do anything bad to you.
3. To get rid of the centipedes, deprive them of their food source by getting rid of the small insects living in the house.
4. Since centipedes only love a humid environment, clean basements, closets, and toilets well so that it is dry, clean and light, which arthropods really do not like.
5. Carefully seal any crevices and cracks in floors, baseboards, along doors and windows so that centipedes cannot enter your home.And also it is necessary with the help of a dense mesh, it is good to close the ventilation windows.
6. If all of these methods do not help, use chemicals, but only in the most exceptional cases. To do this, it is necessary to treat all habitats of millipedes with poisonous preparations for the destruction of insects.

There is absolutely no need to get rid of flycatchers in the garden or garden, since little hunters will never harm the crops, and even help you, ridding the garden plot of various pests.

Growing problems

Common mistakes that lead to disease and plant death are improper feeding and lack of a dormant period in Dionea. Venus flytrap can be affected by various fungal diseases, such as gray rot (gray fluff) or sooty fungus (black plaque). All damaged parts should be cut off, if necessary, change the soil and container and be sure to treat it with a fungicide.

If there is insufficient moisture, a spider mite can settle on the plant. And if aphids start up in the trap, then it stops functioning and deforms. The correct watering regime and insecticide treatment will help get rid of parasites.

Despite the difficulties in care, it is interesting to grow a Venus flytrap. The exclusive plant will become the pearl of the florist's collection, as well as rid the room of annoying insects.

How centipedes hunt and feed

Although the centipede insect is a predator, with a prolonged absence of the usual food, it can also eat plants, for example, some types of home flowers. But the basis of the diet for them is:

• Worms.
• Flies.
• Cockroaches.
• Larvae.
• Fleas.
• Butterflies.
• Bedbugs.

Centipedes prefer to hunt in the dark. Sitting in a secluded place, these insects lie in wait for potential prey, using special antennae for this, which are able to catch the slightest movements, smells and sounds. Seeing the presence of a beetle or cockroach suitable for eating, the centipede quickly jumps on its prey, and then holding it with the help of its jaw processes, injects poison into the body of the prey, which kills it instantly. After that, the flycatcher eats its lunch and for a while leaves for a secluded place in order to calmly digest the food.

A small predator can catch several insects at once and, eating one prey, will hold the rest with its feet.

Interesting facts and videos

• In the collection of carnivorous plants, which Thomas Jefferson, the third president of America, was very fond of, the Venus flytrap occupied the most honorable place. He only fed her with his own hand;
• Charles Darwin devoted a whole book to this plant, where he wrote in detail what and how to feed it;
• Another unique feature of the Venus flytrap is that the traps not only emit a pleasant aroma, but also slightly glow with a bluish light, and all this is to lure insects;
• Some types of flycatchers determine the size of the insect and if it is larger than it needs, the flaps of the trap open, and the insect regains its freedom;
• To date, breeders have bred subspecies of the Venus flytrap with red and crimson shutters. They are found only in botanical gardens, and the cost of an exotic plant is very high.

Venus flytrap transplant

At the onset of spring, the flycatcher flower, whose active growth begins at the end of May, can be returned to its usual place and transplanted. The Venus Flytrap can be transplanted throughout the year, but the most optimal period for this is spring. Since the root system of the flycatcher grows deep down, it is recommended to pick up a deep, narrow flowerpot.

When transplanting, which must be done very carefully due to the fragility of the roots, several children can be immediately separated from the mother plant and planted as an independent flower culture. Before transplanting, it is recommended to soak the roots in water for a few minutes to remove the remnants of old soil.The plant will get used to the new soil within 5 weeks, therefore, during this period, it is recommended to have abundant watering and moderate sunlight.

Reproduction of dionea

The Venus flytrap can be propagated, like other types of indoor crops, in various ways: both vegetatively and using seed. Let's consider all the options.

Bulbs - babies

This process does not require knowledge. Florists use it much more often than other breeding options. This method is used once every three years.

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The Venus Flytrap is a family culture that simply loves to grow surrounded by baby bulbs. If they are often separated from the mother bush, then the Dionea will noticeably weaken. This fact should be taken into account. Therefore, planting work is always combined with the separation of the bulbs to reduce stress on the plant.

With a sharp knife, the baby is separated from the bush, without injuring the fragile root system of the flycatcher. After separation, the bulb and the place of the cut on the bush must be treated with a disinfectant. Any fungicide or crushed activated carbon is suitable for this.

Seeds

Reproduction of a flycatcher using seed is a laborious and complex process. Do you want to grow this exotic carnivorous plant in your apartment? Then stock up on patience and get some experience. This is where it comes in handy.

Seeds are sown in early spring, it is during this period that this exotic culture begins to bloom. Moreover, fresh seeds will not sprout. The planting material is first subjected to a stratification process: soak the seeds for a long time, holding at certain temperatures.

The stratification process is as follows:

1. Soak a gauze napkin with Topaz solution to stimulate growth, then slightly squeeze out excess water;
2. Spread seeds on it and wrap cheesecloth;
3. The bundle is placed in a plastic bag and sent to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator;
4. Seed material is kept in the cold for 1.5-2 months.

Each week, the package is unwrapped for airing. If a mold is found, the seed is washed in a fungicide. When the stratification process is over, you can start sowing.

Peduncles

When the Venus flycatcher reproduces with the help of a peduncle, you should wait until the sprout reaches a height of 4-5 cm.At this moment, it is cut with a sharp knife at an angle and buried in light peat soil by only 1 cm to form roots.

For better rooting, the peduncle must be covered from above with plastic wrap or glass. Dionea should feel like in a greenhouse during this period. From time to time, the greenhouse is ventilated, the peduncle is watered and the green growth is expected to appear.

Some peduncles may look like dried out processes and have a lifeless appearance. We'll have to be patient, because the processes may appear only after a couple of months. After this time, an exotic bush will appear.

Cuttings

The cuttings method uses a shoot that does not have a trap petal. It is carefully cut with a sharp knife, and the cut itself is processed by Kornevin. Peat soil with coarse sand is added to the container. Under a slight slope, the cutting is planted, and from above it is covered with glass or film.

The container is placed in a warm and bright place. During the rooting of the cuttings, it is necessary to sufficiently maintain the air humidity and the required temperature. Rooting takes place within 2-3 months. This will be seen by the appearing green appendage. The transplant is carried out only after three months of rooting.

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About

Chief agronomist of the Limited Liability Company "Association of Peasant (Farming) Farms" Kuznetsovskaya "", Ilovlinsky District of the Volgograd Region.

Where centipedes live

The common centipede has adapted to life in such regions of our planet as North Africa, the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and southern Europe. In the Russian Volga region, you can also find a many-legged creature.

Arthropods usually prefer shelter under stones, plant roots, and deciduous litter. She is attracted to wet and damp places. It is there that she feels protected, where the reproduction processes and basic life activities take place.

The centipede goes hunting both during the day and at night.

A person in his home can most often see an animal in the autumn, when cold weather sets in. The flycatcher is looking for a place to hibernate until spring. To do this, she chooses places where there is moisture, dampness and little light. Bathrooms, restrooms, basements are suitable for them.

Using

Venus Flycatcher is grown mainly as an ornamental plant, but it can also be used for medicinal purposes. Proponents of this method claim that the plant contains chemicals that have anti-tumor and anti-aging effects. The American Cancer Society notes that there is no authoritative scientific evidence to support these properties.

How to care

Many growers do not dare to take up the content of Dionea, because it seems that she is extremely capricious. In fact, the flycatcher plant grows well at home if you know what these very conditions are important for it. And there are only two of them - light and water, which will be discussed a little later. For the rest, Dionea is extremely unpretentious: it can fluctuate in a very wide range, the temperature is also not too important. The Venus flytrap can be much less capricious than many familiar plants.

Another difficulty is that it cannot always be found on sale. Of course, you can plant flycatcher seeds, which are easy to acquire, but it can take a long time for a full-fledged plant to develop from them, it is easier to buy a seedling. And you still need to know when to do it and what to do next.

Here is such an unusual Venus flytrap plant. How to care for her if she does not look like a peaceful flower at all?

Photo

Below are the photos of the flycatcher:

Look further at the photo of the seeds:

Look further at the photo of the Venus flytrap flowers:

Reproduction

Mating in flycatchers occurs by laying a spermatophore (similar to a lemon) by the male in the presence of the female, after which the male pushes the female onto the spermatophore. The female picks up the spermatophore with her genital appendages. On average, the female lays about 60 eggs. The females lay their eggs in the soil and cover them with a sticky substance. A newly hatched flycatcher has four pairs of legs, the number of which increases with each to five, seven, nine and thirteen pairs. After another five molts, the number of legs increases to fifteen pairs. Common flycatchers live for 3-7 years. Some tropical flycatchers have shorter legs and do not live indoors.

Care errors

• The most common feeding errors occur. Often, growers are fond of this process and provide food that the flycatcher cannot digest. Do not feed into all traps.
• Be sure to arrange a winter rest for the plant. If you store the Venus flytrap in the refrigerator, do not forget to moisten the soil, otherwise it will wither and it will be very difficult to return it to its healthy appearance in the spring.
• Dionea needs careful care, so this exotic plant is best dealt with by those who have a lot of free time.

Hunting

Seeing Dionea for the first time and not knowing about its features, you might think that this is an ordinary flower with amazing leaves.But observing the procedure for his nutrition allows you to understand that everything is not so simple. This can be compared to the hunting process of predators in the animal kingdom. At first, she seems to be waiting for a convenient moment when the victim can no longer escape. The trap quickly slams shut, and it is no longer possible to get out of it, because the leaves are compressed more and more, forming a dense "bag". Within a few days, digestive enzymes dissolve the victim's body, leaving only a chitinous membrane. After the meal is over, the trap will re-open, allowing the wind to carry away the leftovers.

All this looks so exciting that it seems as if Dionea has a mind. In fact, all processes are due to chemical reactions. In response to irritation of special villi, the cells react by releasing certain substances, under the influence of which the geometry of the leaf changes, and the trap closes. This interesting process has been studied in detail with the help of modern technologies, so the fact that Dionea does not have the cunning of a predator is for sure. But still, watching the hunt, it is sometimes difficult not to forget that the flycatcher is a plant.

Slamming mechanism

The top of each side of the Venus Flytrap trap is colored with anthocyanins, a pigment that gives the trap its red color. This coloring is the main insect bait for this plant. Trap cells also secrete a sticky substance, which is a type of protein. After the insect crawls into the trap, it begins to flounder on the slippery and sticky surface, greedily licking this substance, touching the trigger hairs that signal the trap to slam shut.

The mechanism for slamming the Venus flytrap trap can be divided into four main phases:

1. Initial slamming.
2. Compression phase.
3. Sealing phase.
4. Reopening phase.

Trigger hairs are indicators for the plant, which by their fluctuations determines that a potential prey is trapped. If the touch occurs immediately to two hairs or to one twice in a row within 30 seconds, the trap closes in a tenth of a second.

The flapping movement of the Venus flytrap is one of the fastest movements that plants are capable of. The amount of time it takes for Dionaea muscipula to collapse is highly dependent on ambient temperature, lighting, plant health, and other factors. However, the trap of a healthy plant closes very quickly in warm conditions.

The details of the slamming process are actually quite complex. Scientists are currently investigating this process and put forward various hypotheses, which include an instant increase in cell size and an "unstable snapping state", which are under the control of this plant.

Recent studies by Harvard scientists in 2005 show that the mechanism for closing the Venus flytrap trap is based on biochemical and elastic processes. They cause the leaf tissue to stretch to the point of instability, and upon touching the hairs, the plant instantly pumps water into the leaf, causing it to collapse.

What do they eat

Centipedes, being predators by nature, prefer to eat those insects that live in their habitat and are within reach.

If you notice a flycatcher at home, do not rush to drive it away or, even worse, kill it. It can bring tangible benefits, especially when there are cockroaches, moths, fleas, bed bugs in the house. Spiders also become its prey.

Going out to hunt, she notices the victim with her good eyesight, creeps up a certain distance, then accelerates and attacks. After that, a bite immediately occurs, the poison enters the circulatory system of the insect, paralyzing it and begins the dining process.Those who know how to use the neighborhood with a centipede will never touch it.

In addition, on the street, the centipede eats worms, larvae, fleas and butterflies.

These carnivorous insects are harmless to humans, as they are not capable of attacking them. And even if the bite has occurred, then the centipede poison will not cause any harm, except in cases with allergy sufferers.

Predator at home

Recently, the demand for exotic indoor plants has been growing. Many growers are no longer interested in growing ordinary violets and ficuses, so it is not surprising that more and more "predators" appear in their homes. Insectivorous plants look very unusual, and some of them are also quite unpretentious. In addition, a predatory flower is very strange even for those who are indifferent to exoticism. So a hobby like growing insectivorous plants uniquely characterizes a person as a person with extraordinary interests.

Rest period features of care

For hibernation, a sign of which is the cessation of the growth of new foliage, the Venus flytrap begins to prepare in the fall. At this time, the plant requires a minimum amount of moisture, so the water from the sump can be poured out, but the condition of the soil must be monitored in any case, preventing it from drying out.

In winter, flycatcher flowers are recommended to be placed in a cooler (with a temperature of 2 to 10 degrees Celsius) and darkened place, because it is at this time that the plant does not need lighting. A sleeping flower, which almost does not feed on insects during the dormant period, is not very attractive in appearance. When you look at him during the dormant period, which lasts from November to February, you might think that he died: the leaves turn brown and die off, growth stops. Many growers, mistaken in this way, throw it away. In fact, it is required to simply cut off the dead parts of the plant (traps and leaves), and keep the soil in which it grows in a moderately moist state.

Venus flytrap care at home

It is not very easy to grow a Venus flytrap at home. We'll have to try and create optimal conditions for it, close to the conditions of its natural growth. And we will tell you what rules must be followed for its normal growth and development.

Location and lighting

The tropical predator grows well on the eastern and western windowsills of the apartment, even better on the southern ones, provided it is shaded at midday. She loves fresh air, needs frequent ventilation of the room. But it must be protected from drafts! In the summer, it is advisable to take the pot with a small predator to the garden or balcony. There she will quickly begin to feast on delicious insects. If the climate in your area allows you to grow the flycatcher in the garden, then the size of the planting container should be increased to 20 cm deep and 30 cm wide. The soil surface should be covered with moss.

Venus flytrap loves bright sunlight

The Venus flytrap is very fond of bright sunlight. But you should not turn the bush to the sun with different sides - the flycatcher does not like this. Try to have the sun illuminate it for at least five hours a day, preferably in the mornings and evenings. But the rest of the time, Dionea should not suffer from a lack of lighting. She will like a light partial shade in the middle of the day. In winter, the plant should be brought into the basement to avoid freezing.

When growing Dionea in an apartment, in spring and autumn, she obviously will not have enough sunlight. You will understand this by the elongated and pale leaves. Arrange artificial lighting for the plant using a fluorescent lamp or phyto lamp. The backlight should be turned on for a longer time so that the daylight hours are 12-14 hours.

Venus flytrap in the florarium

Often the Venus flytrap is grown in aquariums, special terrariums and florariums to maintain high air humidity.Then artificial lighting with a lamp with a power of at least 40 W is installed above the plant at a height of 20 - 25 cm for 12 - 15 hours a day.

Flower maintenance temperature

Dionea is a thermophilic flower. During the period of active growth and the formation of traps, a temperature of 22 - 30 grams is considered comfortable for him. Celsius. During the hot summer months, temperatures can rise even higher without affecting plant growth and development. But, the constant year-round high ambient temperature is contraindicated for him - he will not live with you for a long time. The flower needs annual rest in winter. The temperature at this time, three to four months, should be reduced to a minimum, not higher than 5 - 7 grams. Celsius.

Watering

Under natural conditions, the Venus flytrap grows on such poor soils that for many centuries its roots have completely forgotten how to assimilate mineral salts from the soil. Therefore, the plant should only be watered with clean rainwater. It is better to accumulate and store it in plastic containers - it is not advisable to use metal tanks and buckets. Note that in our environmentally unfavorable time, rainwater can also contain all sorts of impurities. Therefore, it is better to use distilled, filtered or pre-boiled water for irrigation. We do not recommend using tap water, even if it has been standing for a long time.

The soil in the pot of a small predator should always be moist, otherwise the lack of moisture will kill the traps. Water the flower only in the tray. The soil in the pot should not be allowed to compact from the top watering and deprive the root system of oxygen. We recommend putting sphagnum moss on the surface of the substrate in a pot so that the top layer of the soil does not dry out. To better moisten the soil in the pot, so much water is poured into the pan so that it covers the bottom of the pot with drainage holes, then the flower will be able to replenish its need for moisture on its own. It is necessary to monitor the quality of the water in the sump. Long stagnation of water should not be allowed.

• In hot weather with low air humidity, it is necessary to constantly spray the flower and the surrounding space from a spray bottle.
• In winter, when the flycatcher is resting at low ambient temperatures, you still need to monitor the condition of the soil. It should not dry out, but its waterlogging can also provoke rotting of the roots.

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Soil and pot

Choose a light pot for Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap in the wild prefers nutrient-poor soils. If you plant it in nutritious soil, then its roots simply will not be able to assimilate mineral salts from the fatty soil. The plant will get sick. The best soil for a flycatcher will be a mixture of quartz sand and high moor peat in equal proportions. You can use perlite instead of sand, only it will have to be soaked well in distilled water a week before planting, changing it twice for a fresh portion. Sometimes a mixture is prepared from peat (4 hours), perlite (2 hours) and sand (1 hour).

When choosing peat, it should be remembered that Venus flycatchers naturally grow on rather acidic soils - with an acidity of pH from 3.5 to 4.5.

The best place to grow your Venus Flytrap is in a glass container such as an aquarium. In it, the flycatcher will be protected from drafts, and there will be no obstacles to fresh air. If you plant Dionea in an ordinary pot, then it should not be too wide, no more than 10 - 12 cm, but 20 cm will go deep. The color of the pot is also important. Let it be light, as in a dark pot, the root system of the flycatcher will be very overheated from the sun. The sun loves the flower itself, but its roots may suffer from overheating. Cover the surface of the potting medium with damp moss. Drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and a tray underneath are required. But drainage is not needed.There should always be fresh water in the pan. It happens that sphagnum moss is placed there to maintain the moisture necessary for a flower.

Planting and transplanting Dionea

In order to choose a variety to your liking, read our article. Types and varieties of Venus flytrap... If you have already purchased a bush in a store, it is better to immediately transplant it into your prepared substrate. To do this, carefully remove the flower from the transport container. Try to clean the roots of the earth, even rinse them in warm distilled or boiled water. In a container prepared for planting, at least 20 cm deep, lay a layer of substrate. Drainage is optional. Place the new pet's root system in the middle of the pot and sprinkle it with soil along with the stem. It is not necessary to tamp the soil with your hands. Water the plant. Place in a warm place with light shade. The flycatcher will get used to the new soil for a long time - within a month. During this period, it should be well watered and protected from the scorching sun.

There are practically no indications for annual transplants of the Venus flytrap, since its soil is not depleted, and there should be no salting if you water the plant, as expected, with boiled or filtered warm water.

Venus flytrap bloom

In late spring - early summer, the Venus flytrap begins to bloom. A long peduncle appears from the center of the rosette, at the end of which there is a corymbose inflorescence of small, star-like white flowers. Flycatcher flowers smell nice. Their bloom lasts almost two months. If you are not going to get flycatcher seeds ripe by autumn, then it is better to cut off the inflorescences that have appeared while they are in buds, since prolonged flowering greatly depletes the flower and does not allow it to fully develop and form healthy traps.

Fertilizers and feeding for Dionea

The Venus Flytrap does not need fertilizer for indoor flowers as they are. The root system of the plant is not used to taking nutrients from the soil. But for the development of a plant, its growth and flowering, these nutrients, especially nitrogen, are simply necessary.

The best fertilizer for Dionea

Dionea synthesizes nutrients necessary for life independently. For a nitrogen-containing dessert, she catches insects with her trap leaves. The prey of the flycatcher is not only flying flies and bees, but also crawling spiders, ants, bugs, slugs and other similar insects. All of them, caught and digested by a predatory flower, play the role of nitrogen fertilizer, stimulating the plant for new growth and development. If you don't have flies, spiders or, at least, mosquitoes in your apartment, you will have to catch them yourself on the street or in the country and feed them alive to a tropical predator. Precisely, alive - the Venus flytrap does not feed on dead flies! The flower needs such feeding no more than twice a month.

When choosing food for your pet, you need to remember a few points:

• you should not feed the flycatcher with worms and insects with a hard shell;
• leaf beetles are not suitable for her lunch, as they can damage the trap;
• no need to feed a diseased plant, first you need to cure it;
• the newly transplanted flower should not be fed for a while - let it settle in the new soil;
• no need to feed the flycatcher during its winter rest;
• you cannot give the flycatcher meat and other food products of people - traps react only to live food;
• do not catch large insects. They must be completely trapped. If part of the victim remains outside, then the tight sealing may not work. The trap will not be able to properly digest the captured prey, it will turn black and disappear. For an ideal lunch, the prey should be about one-third the size of the trap.

This may be interesting: How the Venus flytrap eats

Interestingly, the Venus flytrap eats organic food only when it is deficient in nitrogen, that is, when it is hungry.At other times, mosquitoes and flies do not bother her. And if you try to feed her in a lack of appetite, she will ignore all your attempts.

The flycatcher can refuse food in any stressful situation: during transplantation, with a sharp change in the situation, in poor lighting, when parasites attack it. Buying it in the store and settling in your apartment is also stressful for the plant, so do not try to feed it as soon as you brought it home.

And one more rule. Don't touch the trap leaves again. The trap, not receiving protein food and slamming in vain several times in a row, will cease to function, turn black and die out prematurely.

We remind you that you should not feed the flower much and often. The digestion of prey takes an average of 10-14 days. The larger the insect, the longer it takes to digest. The older the age of the trap, the slower the secretion of digestive juices, the longer the process of digestion of food takes. The warm season, on the contrary, promotes faster digestion of prey. In any case, the interval between feedings should be at least two weeks, even better - once a month. It is enough to feed only one or two traps at a time. Remember these traps and do not feed them for one and a half - two months. Feed the other two traps on your next meal. It is important to know that overeating, that is, an excess of nitrogen in the tissues, is not desirable for the flycatcher - it becomes lethargic and can get sick.

If your flower grows outdoors in summer, you shouldn't worry about feeding it at all. If you see a closed mouth-trap on a flower, it means that a flycatcher recently caught and ate someone. Just watch as it lures its prey and deftly catches it.

Read more about the mechanisms of nutrition in our article. How the Venus flytrap eats.

The period of winter dormancy of the Venus flytrap

At the end of September, any feeding of the flycatcher stops - the predator is tired of hunting and begins to prepare for winter rest. A sign of this will be the termination of the formation of new leaves in the plant. Old leaves will begin to darken and fall off. The outlet will decrease in size. Feeding the flycatcher is postponed until spring. It needs less and less water, so it can be drained from the sump. Watering is still necessary, but less often and more moderately, if only the soil in the pot does not dry out at all. Moreover, you will have to monitor the condition of the soil during the entire winter hibernation. If it dries up, as in the case of waterlogging, the flycatcher may not wake up in the spring.

In December, the Venus flytrap should be moved to another, cooler, but not necessarily dark place with a temperature of 2 to 10 grams. Celsius. Sometimes the pot with the flycatcher is taken to the basement. You can put the pot in a plastic bag and store it in the lower compartment of the refrigerator or on the glassed-in balcony. In this form, the flower will remain for three to four months, that is, during the entire period of hibernation of the plant. In February, the Venus flytrap slowly wakes up. The flower is taken out of the cold captivity and returned to its old place, warm and well-lit. Last year's traps should be cut. Start caring for the flower. Monitor humidity and temperature indicators, water, spray. Only by the end of May, the Venus flytrap will begin to actively grow and develop.

If the winter rest was full, the plant with renewed vigor will continue its life in your apartment, and will surprise and amuse you for many years to come.

Ways to deal with centipedes

When pests appear, a person will need to use the entire set of methods for dealing with dangerous neighbors. Let's analyze each of them in more detail.

Preventive actions

In the cycle of these operations, there are several main ones:

• it is necessary to maintain cleanliness and normal air humidity in the premises, leaks must be repaired immediately;
• it is worth regularly checking and maintaining the performance of the ventilation system, especially in problem rooms;
• all surfaces of the floor, walls and ceiling, including behind the furniture, must be checked for cracks, cracks or holes - the scolopendra is able to crawl into the smallest gap. Defective spots are sealed with cement mortar or other finishing materials;
• if the floor covering is distorted by all sorts of bulges, cracks, it is better to replace it. Before changing, it is recommended to cover up or blow out all voids with polyurethane foam;
• centipedes enter the building through the front doors, so it is better to close the openings in the evening;
• it will be necessary to install small nets on the drain holes of plumbing fixtures or plug them with plugs in the evening;
• a less effective method of prevention is to hook up natural enemies. So, cats and hedgehogs are happy to eat centipedes and other centipedes.

Advice! It is not recommended to leave mowed or torn grass or fallen leaves on the garden plot - these are places where pests accumulate and spread.

Folk remedies

It is impossible to fight centipedes with the help of folk recipes: the effectiveness of such processing will be minimal. The use of an effective weapon against a cockroach or a fly - a simple slipper or a rolled-up newspaper - will also fail. A nimble, fast insect is covered with tough armor. In the fight against centipedes, only prevention and the use of pesticides help.

Important! You cannot allow your pet to hunt for centipedes poisoned with pesticides. Most of them are cumulative and can harm your pet.

Industrial control agents

The most effective method to get scolopendra out of the house is to use pesticides. After processing, it is not recommended to chase nimble centipedes with a fly swatter, it is better to catch it through a napkin or with gloves and throw it into the toilet.

Among industrial drugs against scolopendra, solutions of "Dichlorvos", "BI-58" and another contact insecticide are popular.

The solution will need to be made with a higher concentration of the drug, but even such work will not allow to destroy all pests. Even if you spray an insect protected by a shell point-blank, the poison will not kill it even after 10-15 minutes.

All existing cracks or cracks that cannot be repaired with a solution or foam must be treated with systemic pesticides in the form of gels. Among domestic drugs, the popular brands "Fas", "Shturm". Such treatment with a 100% guarantee will protect the house from insects.

Sticky traps and special non-curing adhesives showed good results. Spreading cardboard boxes and spreading traps in damp rooms or throughout your home makes it easy to deal with an infestation of centipedes. But the fastest and most effective method of dealing with centipedes is to contact the pest control service. Specialists will treat the premises of a residential building with a special poisonous gas for parasites, and the problem will be solved.

Advice! Noticing a real large centipede in the room, immediately destroy it or throw it out into the street. Until the pest is caught, move around the house in socks and slippers and carefully check your bed and clothes.

Scolopendra does not like the neighborhood with other individuals, therefore it does not gather in large families like cockroaches or bedbugs - this quality makes it easier to fight them. Yet pests can be a serious problem. It is difficult to fight centipedes, the most effective methods are gel pesticides and a call to the special services.

It is much easier to prevent the appearance of scolopendra on the site or in the house. To do this, it is enough to constantly remove plant waste from the beds and prevent dampness in the premises. Not finding secluded corners with high air humidity, the pest will leave the site in search of a new refuge.

Light and water

Dionea has special requirements for the amount of sun and the quality of irrigation.There should be a lot of light - ideally, it should stand in direct rays. It may seem that this will provoke burns on the leaves, but this is not the case. The scorching sun, which is destructive for most plants, is only good for the flycatcher.

The second condition is water. It should be not just pure, but distilled. Unfortunately, the liquid that flows from the faucet contains too many impurities, and the dionea needs gentle watering through the sump. This should be done often, but not too much - the substrate should always be moist, do not forget that the flycatcher is a marsh plant.

Is the bite of a centipede dangerous?

There are different points of view regarding the toxicity of scolopendra. It all depends on the specific species. Flycatchers are harmless enough, even if their poison gets on the skin - it is no more dangerous than a bee sting. But large brothers are more dangerous.

They live in grass or forest, reach large size, have a bright color. They have poisonous glands on the sides of the body. Therefore, even skin contact with the legs causes burns. However, the bite is not fatal to humans. But it can give you a lot of unpleasant minutes:

• Redness is observed at the site of the bite.
• Blisters form.
• Pain and swelling appear.

Symptoms resolve on their own within a couple of days. In houses and old buildings, you can find the flytrap centipede. Despite their aggressive behavior, they are completely harmless. To some extent, they are useful insects, as they eat flies. It is worth remembering why domestic scolopendra are not dangerous:

• Do not tolerate any disease.
• Do not spoil the food.
• Do not spoil clothes.
• They are afraid of man and daylight.

Nevertheless, the appearance of centipedes in the house is a bad sign. They love high humidity, rotten trees, mold. Therefore, all this is in the house and this is bad. Moreover, scolopendra can survive only if there is a food base, and this means that there are bugs, flies or other pests in the house.

Frequent diseases, their treatment

Dionea is mainly affected by bacterial and fungal diseases. The main reasons are rotting food debris, excessive soil moisture. You will find a description of common diseases and methods of their treatment in the table.

Table - Diseases of Dionea

Name of the disease	External manifestations	Treatment
Black sooty fungus	- Black spots appear on the leaves after being damaged by pests	- Spray the plant and the soil with a solution of the Topaz fungicide
Gray rot	- A gray fluffy bloom appears on the leaves	- Cut off the affected leaves: - sprayed with a fungicide
Bacterial rot	- A closed trap with an insect rots	- The decayed trap is cut off, the cut is treated with coal powder

Ways to get rid of centipedes in an apartment

Flycatchers, getting into a person's dwelling, can live in it for quite a long time, if there is no shortage of food. To get rid of them, folk, mechanical and chemical methods are used.

Folk remedies for the flycatcher

Traps with poisonous substances should be installed out of the reach of children and pets. In this case, for the preparation of traps used:

• Boric acid is an effective insect control agent. Traps should be placed in hard-to-reach places.
• To combat the flycatcher, a regular, red, but hot pepper is suitable. Before use, the pepper must be ground to a powder.

After grinding, traps are prepared, which are placed in places where millipedes appear, away from pets and children.

Such control methods can be effective if the number of insects is not large.

Mechanical methods of dealing with centipedes

There are fairly simple and affordable ways to control, if there are not a large number of insects. For example:

• An insect can be killed with a slipper. But this method is not very pleasant, since you will have to remove the results of actions. In addition, flycatchers move fast enough and you won't be able to kill them at once.But again, this is not a humane way, especially since these insects are not pests at all, but on the contrary, they can help get rid of pests such as cockroaches.
• The centipede can simply be caught and carried outside the home.
• When a large number of insects and their offspring appear, first of all it is necessary to analyze the reason for such interest of centipedes in dwellings. After all, they are not interested in human food leftovers, as well as food supplies. Most likely, somewhere nearby there is a colony of some pests that are included in the diet of millipedes.
• On the garden plot, you need to remove the fallen leaves, in which millipedes can live. At the same time, you need to make sure that insects cannot get from the street into the house or apartment, filling up all the cracks in the walls, in the floor, etc.

Chemicals

With a large number of insects, it is better to immediately resort to the action of insecticides, since folk remedies may be ineffective. Unfortunately, not everywhere and not always they can be used. In addition, many prefer exclusively folk methods, as the safest in relation to humans. In the fight against flycatchers, the following chemicals will help:

• Aerosol "Raid". This substance is formulated to fight crawling and flying insects. Although the drug is considered slightly toxic, after processing the room, it must be well ventilated.
• Insecticide "Kombat" also has a quick action against pests that have grown in the house.
• Aerosol "Clean House". This product is also designed to combat various types of insects. One balloon will be enough for several treatments, especially against flycatchers, since their number is not too large.

Sealing and opening phases

If the trap has successfully captured the prey and the insect has not escaped before the start of the compression phase, the sealing phase begins. During this phase, the teeth of the trap move forward and outward, so that they no longer intertwine with each other. As a result, the edges of the flytrap lobules (blades) on both sides are tightly pressed against each other. When the seal becomes dense and impervious, digestive enzymes are released. The insect drowns in them and is gradually digested.

Over the next 5-12 days, the trap remains closed during digestion. At this time, digestive enzymes continue to be secreted, dissolving the soft tissues of the insect. The nutrients contained in the tissues of the insect are released in the form in which they can be absorbed by the leaf of the flycatcher.

The amount of time it takes to completely digest prey depends on the age of the insect, the trap, and the ambient temperature. The larger the insect, the longer the digestion takes. The older the trap, the slower the release of digestive enzymes, the warmer the weather, the faster the digestion takes place.

The insect should be one-third the size of the trap for an ideal "lunch". If the insect is too large or some part of it hangs out of the trap, the seal cannot be tight. This can cause the trap to die. It turns black, dies and falls away from the plant. The base part of the leaf will continue to supply energy to the plant during photosynthesis, but no new blades with prongs that can hunt will grow on it.

After lunch is over, the leaf absorbs substances along with the digestive fluid that the plant has received as a result of digesting prey. This signals the plant to open the trap again. All that remains after lunch by this time is the outer skeleton of the insect. It can be washed away by rain, blown away by the wind, but it can also serve as a bait for the next victim. Very often spiders or ants are lured by a corpse, which ends with the next dinner for the Venus flytrap.

After several successful hunts in a row, the trap stops functioning.The plant itself lives much longer: under favorable conditions, it is able to function for twenty years.

Behavior and lifestyle

Flycatchers, like many other centipedes, are carnivores. They hunt with pleasure. Cockroaches, fleas, flies, silverfish and other arthropods become their prey. Having noticed the victim, they first observe it in a motionless state, then at high speed (about 40 cm per second) creep up, attack it, holding it with their jaws, inject poison into its body. After that, they begin to eat. And for them there is no difference day or night, their activity does not change from the time of day. They hunt all the time.

Animals run fast. During movement, long legs more or less straighten and raise the body. Thus, the flycatcher also attacks insects indoors and outdoors. The arthropod prefers to live where it is warm and humid. Therefore, the flycatcher can be found in the countries of North Africa, southern Europe, uninhabited territories of the Middle East. India, the countries of the former USSR, is also one of the favorite habitats of the animal. In Crimea, the population of flycatchers is suddenly declining, especially the one that lives in mountainous regions.

Forest litter, fallen leaves - this is where you can find the flycatcher in the natural environment. If the winter is not harsh, then she can easily survive it in secluded places before the arrival of spring heat. Human homes often become shelters in cold weather, because there you can not only spend the winter, but also find some food. You can see it in the bathroom or toilet, in the kitchen, in the basement, in places where there is dampness.

The maximum flycatcher can live no more than 8 years, which distinguishes it from many other insects. Due to the fact that birds and amphibians hunt flycatchers, many individuals live a little.

Interesting!

There is no reason for a person to be afraid of flycatchers, they themselves prefer not to meet with him. And she will not gnaw through the skin. The arthropod is also not interested in furniture and food in the house.

Compression phase

If the initial slamming of the trap is successful, the compression phase begins, which lasts about half an hour. The process is as follows. In the process of fighting, the insect inside the trap and further touches the “trigger hairs”. This signals the flycatcher to further clamp the flaps in order to keep the victim inside. If the insect is small enough, it can slip through the teeth of the trap and escape.

The compression phase does not occur if the collapse is unsuccessful in finding prey. This happens if, when the valves collapsed, the insect managed to get out of the trap or the hairs vibrated caused by other leaves, raindrops, or by a person who stuck his finger there. Then the trap begins to slowly open and fully opens in a day or two. But if such a touch to the hairs occurs several times, it can lead to blackening and death of the trap. In subsequent times, the collapse rate for the same trap drops significantly.

Flycatcher flowers care

which is home to America, is a seasoned flower that is optimally adapted to seasonal temperature fluctuations. The flowers of the flycatcher, which are quite unpretentious in care, do not tolerate stagnant air, requiring regular ventilation of the room in which they are located. A plant that has a negative attitude towards shade feels comfortable on the east and west sides of the room, characterized by softer light penetration. Lack of sunlight can be identified by the dull color of the traps and the leaves that have become elongated and thin.

As a soil for such an unusual culture, it is required to use sandy-peat soil; in order to avoid it drying out, which should not be allowed, it is recommended to spread ordinary moss on top. A pot with a plant must be provided with a tray with a supply of rain or purified water.Tap water, due to the content of a large number of additional compounds, can be detrimental to the flower.

Care requirements

To grow at home, the plant requires a special approach, which consists in proper watering, lighting, feeding and a dormant period. Since in the wild, Dionea lives on swampy soils, the substrate should be similar in composition. The soil is independently prepared from sour peat, perlite and sphagnum moss in a ratio of 3: 2: 1. Optionally, you can add 1 part of coarse river sand. Perlite should be pre-soaked for several days to fill the stones with moisture.
Features of growing ginger at home

Expanded clay cannot be used as a component, since alkali is destructive for the Venus flytrap. The predatory plant takes root well in acidic and loose soil. Drainage is not required to be placed in the pot, since moisture enters the roots through the tray.

The hunter must be transplanted very carefully, since the root system is fragile. The procedure should be performed in spring or early summer. Choose a pot according to this principle:

• the container should be 2 times the diameter of the plant;
• the container must be plastic or glass, clay and ceramic pots are not suitable due to the high acidity of the soil.

Transfer the plant to the prepared container carefully, without touching the traps. The roots should be cleared of soil and buried in the substrate, then lightly tamp the soil. For better survival, the soil mixture can be poured with a solution of Epin-extra in advance. The adaptation period takes about a month, during this time it is better to avoid direct sunlight.

Lighting and temperature

The plant needs good lighting - at least 4 hours a day, the Dionea should be in the sun. And the rest of the time she needs a bright diffused light. In the summer season, it is allowed to move the pot to the open air. If it is not possible to provide natural light, then you can place the predator under an electric lamp.

Several fluorescent bulbs with a power of up to 40 W for artificial illumination should be placed 15-20 cm above the leaves. You cannot rotate the container relative to the light source - you should mark the side facing the sun, and when you move the pot, put the plant on the same side.

The optimum temperature during the growth period varies from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. In winter, it should be maintained at least 8 degrees. For the dormant period, the plant begins to prepare in November. This can be determined by the fall of the leaves. At this time, the pot needs to be moved to partial shade. The duration of wintering is up to 4 months, feeding at this time stops, and watering is reduced. The substrate must be kept moist. The rest ends with the appearance of insects on the street. You can store the plant in a refrigerator vegetable container without light, in a plastic bag with holes for ventilation.

Water fern salvinia: description and features

Watering and fertilizing

It is necessary to constantly monitor that the soil is moist, but water should not stagnate at the same time. The plant should be watered exclusively with distilled or rainwater. Moisture should only enter the roots through the pallet. Watering through the top of the pot will cause the soil to be compacted and the acidity will decrease. In summer, outdoors, liquid should always be in the sump.

Some florists recommend growing the plant in closed aquariums to maintain the required moisture content (50-70%). However, this leads to a lack of light and poor ventilation. In such conditions, Dionea will not survive, therefore the glass container must be well ventilated. You can additionally increase the humidity by regular spraying (several times a day).

It is strictly forbidden to apply mineral fertilizers for Dionea. She extracts all the necessary nutrients from insects.

Diseases

Diseases often arise from improper care of a indoor flower. Certain conditions are necessary for the cultivation of Dionea. If they are violated, the following ailments occur:

• Yellowing of traps - irrigation regime is violated: hard water is used or the soil contains excess calcium.
• Yellowing and dropping of leaves is a consequence of insufficient soil moisture.
• Brown spots at the ends of trap leaves - caused by sunburn or excess fertilizer.
• Sooty fungus - occurs with constant waterlogging of the soil in the pot. Leaves and stems are covered with black bloom. Spraying with fungicides will help to destroy the disease.
• Gray rot - gray mold fluff appears on the stems. In this case, the affected parts must be removed immediately and the flower must be sprayed with a fungicide solution.
• Bactericidal damage - arises from the inability to digest the caught insect. Trap petals turn black and rot. The disease progresses rapidly, spreading to the entire plant. It is necessary to eliminate the damaged leaf, and then treat the plant with a fungicide.

Feeding process

Under natural conditions, the process of feeding Dionea occurs as follows: the plant opens traps and begins to secrete a special nectar that attracts insects. When a fly or a spider touches sensitive outgrowths located along the edge of the leaf, the trap slams shut, and the victim remains inside. After that, the Venus flytrap begins to secrete a special secret that helps to digest the prey (Figure 6).

Note: In a city apartment, a predator is far from always able to get food on its own. Therefore, its owner will have to independently feed her with insects.

It should be clarified right away that you cannot feed the flycatcher with anything at all:

1. She should not be given earthworms or beetles in a dense chitinous shell. Dionea just won't be able to digest them.
2. Venus flytrap is not fed to gnawing insects, as they can damage the trap leaf.
3. No matter how strong the temptation is, do not feed the flycatcher with regular meat or sausage. From such products, it will simply start to rot.
4. It is important not to overfeed Dionea: for the entire growing season, several live flies, spiders or large mosquitoes will be enough for her.

Figure 6. You can feed the predator only with certain insects
It is also necessary to choose the right time for feeding. You can not give food to a predator if she has recently suffered an illness or is weakened in general, has undergone a transplant or other stress, or has been in conditions of high humidity or poor lighting for a long time.

How to feed the flycatcher?

When growing the Venus flytrap, it is not necessary to apply fertilizer to the substrate, since it receives the necessary substances from the digested insects.

So, what to feed the flycatcher? If there are none in the room where the flower grows, it should be fed with flies, mosquitoes, spiders on its own. You should not give the plant larvae, earthworms, meat, bloodworms, because they are poorly digested by traps, which causes them to rot. Typically, the flycatcher digests food for 5 to 10 days. From the end of September, you do not need to feed the flower.

Venus flytrap caught a fly

Features of keeping in room conditions

Dionea has been familiar to people since the discovery of America. The unusual plant was transported to Europe, different varieties began to be bred and grown as an indoor plant.

The Venus flytrap is represented by the only species, Dionaea muscipula. But over 200 years of domestication, about 25 varieties have been bred. They differ from each other in the size of the bush, the shape of the teeth and the color of the leaves: from green to burgundy and even purple. Dionei with two-color traps are often found. If the color depends on the variety, then its intensity depends on the lighting: the more light the plant receives, the brighter and more beautiful it looks.

Venus flycatchers have been bred, which are able to accumulate sunlight and glow blue in the dark.

Photo gallery: varieties of domestic predators for every taste and color

Dionaea muscipula - common dionea with green traps

Dionea Muscipula Giant - Flycatcher with two-color traps

Behind the graceful leaves of Bohemian garnet Dionea lies a predatory nature

All parts of the Clayton's Volcanic Red plant are colored burgundy

Dionea Dracula looks very unusual: her thorns resemble the fangs of a vampire

In the Dentate trap variety, the leaves are directed upward, the traps are large, like the plant itself

Table: winter and summer care for a house-grown flycatcher

Light requirements	Watering	Temperature
From spring to autumn	Placed on an east-facing window, balcony or street	The soil should always be moist, but not soggy.	Up to +30 ⁰C
In winter, during dormancy	Placed on a window on the south side, supplemented	Water only after the topsoil has dried	Up to +10 ⁰C

Types, varieties

Dionea is a monotypic genus, represented by only one species. But thanks to the efforts of breeders, many varieties have been bred that differ in appearance. The most interesting of them:

• Triton... The plant is dominated by green. Traps of unusual shape - they are slightly elongated and stretched, there is a cut on only one side. The teeth stick together periodically;
• Dracula... Features short teeth on traps. At their base, you can see a red line. Leaves and stem are green;
• Giant... Rosette of green leaves. Traps form very quickly, they can reach lengths of up to 5 cm. They have a beautiful crimson color;
• Bohemian Garnet... The plant is dark green in color, the number of traps varies from 5 to 12 pieces. Leaves cover the ground, traps are located exclusively horizontally;
• Akai Ryu... A very decorative variety with dark red leaves that persist even in partial shade. On the traps, you can see a strip of green tint on the outside.

All varieties of the Venus flycatcher are artificially bred, they do not differ in the peculiarity of maintenance and care. The main difference is the structural and color features of the flower parts. It is advisable to purchase planting material only in a specialized store where storage conditions are observed. When buying, be sure to pay attention to the description of the variety in the annotation and photo.

Other features and difficulties

Some people perceive Dionea as fun - they touch the leaves, forcing them to slam shut, catch and try to feed flies to it - after all, hunting is spectacular, everyone wants to see with their own eyes how the plant eats an insect. But for a flower this is unnecessary stress, and active intervention in its life and attempts to feed it can only lead to its premature death.

Contrary to rumors, the flycatcher plant does not need protein enough to help it. Do not put pieces of meat or other protein products in the leaves. In the event that it is necessary, Dionea will cope with this task herself. If insects are not observed at all, then it is better to just feed the flower with well-diluted organic fertilizers.

Blackening of the leaves is not always a bad sign. Of course, this may indicate the need to reduce watering, but more often this is a simple dying off of old shoots.

Watering the plant

In nature, the flycatcher grows on such poor soils that the roots of the culture have simply lost the habit of assimilating mineral salts from the soil. Given this feature, watering is carried out only with clean rainwater, which is accumulated and stored in plastic containers.

Note: It is not recommended to use tap water, even if it is settled, for watering the plant.

It should be borne in mind that the soil in the pot with the predator must be constantly moist. Otherwise, traps will simply not form and the plant will die (Figure 5).

At the same time, there are certain features in terms of the content and watering of the culture:

1. You always need to water the plant in the tray.Water, hitting the surface of the soil, will compact it too much and the roots of the flower will simply not be able to breathe.
2. It is advisable to spread sphagnum moss on the surface of the soil, which will not allow the soil to dry out.
3. In order for the predator to receive enough moisture, water is poured into the sump at the level of the drainage hole. So Dionea will be able to absorb the required amount of moisture directly from the roots.
4. It is important to ensure that the water in the sump is always fresh. Otherwise, your exotic flower may get sick.

Figure 5. Exotic watering is carried out only through the pallet
In the hot season and at low air humidity, watering is supplemented by spraying the leaves. In winter, when the flycatcher is at rest, watering is not stopped, but it is made more moderate. In no case should the soil be allowed to dry out. But it is not worth overmoistening it either, since fungal diseases can affect the plant from this.

Watering

The indoor flower Venus flytrap is very sensitive to the composition of water. Even settled tap water is not suitable for watering. Do not water with rainwater either; due to unfavorable environmental conditions, it may contain various impurities. It is best to use cold, boiled or filtered water. The soil in the pot is kept constantly moist. Lack of water kills traps. It is best to put the pot on a tray with water so that the plant itself regulates the need for moisture.

Natural growth - conditions

The flyfly flower is native to America - it grows in peat bogs close to the ground, where there is a lot of natural food. To avoid constant false flapping of the petals, Dionaea Muscipula has grown sensor hairs, when rain or leaves hit, the trap does not work. Scientists still cannot figure out this mechanism.

At the moment, several hybrid specimens have been bred, which differ in the color of the traps. When planted with seeds, an ordinary dionea grows, since during seed propagation, varietal characteristics are not transmitted. The varieties differ mainly in the intensity of the red color:

• Akai Riu - valves and aerial shoots are completely burgundy.

• Dateant ladder is a small rosette, but it creates many traps. The leaves are green.

• Giant (giant) dionea - forms large valves - from 5 cm or more.

• Dracula is a flower outside with green leaves and a red center.

• Crocodile is a completely green plant.

• The funnel ladder forms different traps on the same plant.

In Russia, hybrid varieties rarely come across - seeds of the Venus flytrap are also difficult to buy. Only common types are on sale.

There are also rare varieties:

• Bristlethus - with a large number of teeth, which are very short.

• Fondue - with ugly traps and uneven distribution of bristles-teeth. In varieties of this variety, the teeth may be completely absent.

• Red piranha - with a large amount of light, completely burgundy, if there is less light, the color brightens.

Hybrids must be brought and propagated vegetatively, since ordinary plants with a green color grow from seeds.

Propagation by cuttings or by dividing

Dionea is most often propagated by cuttings. To do this, take leaves and plant them at an angle in a mixture of peat and quartz sand, then cover with a transparent cap and wait for the first growth to appear. The leaves should be in a well-lit place. You can also take a peduncle as a cutting.

Dionea can be propagated by children and by dividing the bush. It should only be borne in mind that children should not be torn off too often - the plant is stressed from this. The same applies to dividing the bush.

Venus flytrap or dionea plant

The flycatcher plant, also referred to as dionea, "managed" to become unique even in the group of plant predators: it is the only one of these plants capable of rapid active movements. Even a sundew closely related to it is not so hasty: its trapping hairs bend very slowly.

The hairs on the modified leaves of the Venus flytrap are also present. But the leaves themselves have turned into a kind of toothy mouths, into which fairly large insects and even small vertebrates (for example, small frogs) can fall. On the edges of the "jaws" there are thorns, the purpose of which is to firmly hold the prey. Sensitive hairs are located on the inner surface of the "jaws". The thoughtfulness of this trapping mechanism is striking. The leaf collapses only if the prey has disturbed at least two sensitive hairs with an interval of no more than twenty seconds; the digestion process also begins after a few minutes of hair stimulation. This is necessary in order to protect the leaf from "false triggering" (for example, if a leaf fallen from the tree touches it), because the plant spends a lot of energy on slamming the trap. It has also been found that before starting to digest, the plant calculates whether the prey will be able to replenish the energy spent on its digestion; if it thinks that it cannot, then the flycatcher releases the captive.

The Venus flytrap is native to the eastern United States (North and South Carolina) and has the status of a "state carnivorous plant" there. She prefers swampy areas where a great variety of flies and other insects are found. Its Latin specific name - muscipula - means "mousetrap": the botanist who first described it either simply compared trapping leaves with a mousetrap, or was mistaken in thinking that the plant really hunts mice. And it got its Russian name in honor of Venus - the goddess of plants and love. True, some kind of too bloodthirsty love turned out.

It is believed that Thomas Jefferson, who planted it in his house in 1804, was the first to grow a flycatcher at home. He was not only a president and a prominent public figure, but also an amateur botanist.

Why did predatory plants, including the Venus flytrap, switch to such a radical type of nutrition? After all, it is, let's say, "not in a vegetable way" - to eat animals. The thing is that such plants live on soils that are poor in nitrogen; and they learned how to get this important substance in such an extravagant way. In addition to nitrogen, plants receive other useful substances from insects. Prerequisites for predation actually exist in many "ordinary" plants: such are Potentilla (from the Rosaceae family), geraniums and a number of other plants; they are able to extract nutrients from insects adhering to their leaves and stems, but they do not have special trapping devices.

Scientists have long been interested in unusual predatory plants. Up to the point that Charles Darwin wrote a whole book about the flycatcher, providing it with his own illustrations. For him, she served as the most unexpected example of the evolutionary development of living organisms. Interest in it does not subside among modern scientists, including genetic engineers - they developed a flytrap that accumulates sunlight and glows blue at night.

Pests

The insectivorous pet is not often attacked by pests, but when they are, the results can be quite devastating. Therefore, it is useful and advisable to develop the habit of preventive treatments with insecticidal aerosols throughout the year.

Perhaps the most common pests are aphids, spider mites and mealybugs.

Diseases of indoor flowers photo

With a strong waterlogging of the substrate, fungal diseases such as gray rot or black soot fungus can develop. In this case, the flower is treated with a fungicide.

Sections:
• Small
• Exotic

Comments (1)

Irina 07/19/2013 11:09 I am pleased to read about such an interesting plant. To be honest, these flowers have always scared me. Carnivores! It somehow sounds crazy to me))) But interesting! The plant must be fed with flies)))
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Elena Kartavtseva 07/19/2013 12:29 PM This is not a plant, this is some kind of plant animal.Get yourself this instead of a hamster and feed it with flies or cockroaches (who has what).

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Nina Zhuperina 07/19/2013 12:37 PM A very interesting story about a carnivorous plant. Beautiful, but I would not keep it at home.

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Elena 07/19/2013 15:08 How difficult it is to grow carnivale at home - this is the Italian name for predatory plants (emphasis on I). My predator lives beautifully in the garden, eats herself when she wants ...

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Elena 07/24/2013 14:32 What an interesting site !!!! How much information on plants and their decor! Class!

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Tatyana 10/04/2013 16:37 I bought myself a fly fly, read the site and it helped me to grow a fly fly. SHE is very cool

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Irina 02/22/2014 16:01 And I just bought my pet))) now I am enlightened

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Daria 04/19/2014 12:49 PM I also bought myself such a pet) Very cute creature. Now mom is afraid to come into my room. Thank you pet)

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Polina 04/29/2014 6:53 PM And I have such a plant) I'm very happy) it's just drop dead: *

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Yana 05/18/2014 11:00 I recommend this plant to everyone. But watch him very well, read and learn how to watch him and what insects are harmful. Good luck.

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Anastasia 11/02/2014 5:26 PM Cool plant: 3 I would like this for myself, but my parents do not allow (

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Taisiya 11/08/2014 18:20 I quote Nina Zhuperina:

A very interesting story about a carnivorous plant. Beautiful, but I would not keep it at home.

They gave me 5 flycatcher seeds, sowed them - they came up on the third day! These are living beings, of course, they need to be fed! A friend of mine has a sundew, which is also an insectivorous plant. It feeds itself! In summer, there are a lot of flies, and if they are not there, she puts a piece of apple near the sundew, and after two or three hours, flies appear, which themselves climb into the mouth of the flower! Reply
Anastasia 11/18/2014 06:05 AM I ordered myself a pet, I'm getting ready for my arrival, I read it.) The article is excellent, you can immediately see that a knowledgeable person wrote. Tell me, please, what should be the humidity during the period of active growth? And here's another question. Can a flycatcher be kept in a terrarium? I have a eublefar, I would like to add to him, but in his terrarium I keep the humidity up to 40%. Wouldn't such cohabitation be harmful to the plant? Thanks in advance.

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Irina 11/19/2014 4:29 PM Hello, Anastasia. In a terrarium, a flycatcher will be even better than on a windowsill. Precisely because the humidity is higher there. It grows well at a humidity of 40-70%, i.e. the range is wide. But only if your terrarium does not close, because the flycatcher needs good air exchange. If there is always stale air, high humidity and even a temperature of +35, then it can start to hurt or even die.

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Lola 12/29/2014 5:40 PM I quote Elena Kartavtseva:

This is not a plant, it is some kind of plant animal. Get yourself this instead of a hamster and feed it with flies or cockroaches (who has what).

if they ate cockroaches in their heads .. it would be really good to answer
Veronica 01/09/2015 08:34 I want to buy this plant, but I wonder where to get food for it? At home in the winter, and indeed flies, midges are not spawning, in summer mosquitoes are only in small quantities. What to do?

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Irina 09/01/2015 12:17 I quote Veronica:

I want to buy this plant for myself, but I wonder where to get food for it? At home in the winter, and indeed flies, midges are not spawning, in summer mosquitoes are only in small quantities. What to do?

Veronica, you don't need to feed her at all in winter. she has a rest period - it lasts from November to February. As a rule, feeding is stopped at the end of September. And the active growth period begins most often in May, then they begin to feed. But this does not mean that you need to feed the plant kilograms of flies) She needs 2 insects per month. And some Dione owners say that they give 2-3 insects (flies, spiders, bees) for the entire summer season. She can rather die from overfeeding than from a lack of insects. And if your Dionea will stand in the open air, for example, on an open balcony, then she will feed herself. It is better to buy adult plants in late spring - early summer (May-June). Since after the purchase, acclimatization will take 1-1.5 months (getting used to your conditions), so that she has time to get used to your home before the rest period.The most important thing is not to feed immediately after purchase until she releases 3-4 new leaves in your home! This will mean that acclimatization was successful. Reply
Alina Rubtsova 01/31/2015 19:10 Hello! and where did you order?

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Saigon 02/10/2015 18:32 I can give seeds ...

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Saigon 02/10/2015 18:34 I quote Irina:

I quote Veronica: I want to buy this plant for myself, but I wonder where to get food for it? At home in the winter, and indeed flies, midges are not spawning, in summer mosquitoes are only in small quantities. What to do?

Veronica, you don't need to feed her at all in winter. she has a rest period - it lasts from November to February. As a rule, feeding is stopped at the end of September. And the active growth period begins most often in May, then they begin to feed. But this does not mean that you need to feed the plant kilograms of flies) She needs 2 insects per month. And some Dione owners say that they give 2-3 insects (flies, spiders, bees) for the entire summer season. She can rather die from overfeeding than from a lack of insects. And if your Dionea will stand in the open air, for example, on an open balcony, then she will feed herself. It is better to buy adult plants in late spring - early summer (May-June). Since after the purchase, acclimatization will take 1-1.5 months (getting used to your conditions), so that she has time to get used to your home before the rest period. The most important thing is not to feed immediately after purchase until she releases 3-4 new leaves in your home! This will mean that acclimatization was successful. Meat chunks are fine, but very small! Reply
Lyudmila 02/13/2015 10:05 PM I have all the windows of the apartment to the south, the heat is both winter and summer ... In addition to the Venus flytrap, maybe there are other predatory plants in the southern regions that are accustomed to the heat and are just as cute?

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Irina 02/14/2015 1:32 PM I quote Lyudmila:

I have all the windows of the apartment to the south, the heat is both winter and summer ... In addition to the Venus flytrap, maybe there are other predatory plants in the southern regions, accustomed to the heat and can be pretty cute?

Hello Lyudmila. Why did you decide that Dionea will not take root in you? From the direct sun, it can be shaded even with an ordinary white sheet of paper. And in winter, during the rest period, take it out to the glazed balcony. Reply
Daria 03/02/2015 2:10 PM I quote Saigon:

I can give seeds ...

Seriously?? write me an email, I would not refuse such a gift. fibullata Reply
Timofey 03/13/2015 15:00 Venus took root in my Crimea

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Timofey 03/13/2015 15:10 I can donate seeds

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Daria 03/14/2015 2:24 PM I quote Timofey:

I can donate seeds

Present. Email me fibullata dog yaho Reply
Anastasia 03/15/2015 10:35 AM And I would be very grateful for the seeds!)))

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Nadezhda 03/17/2015 10:35 am I quote Timofey:

I can donate seeds

and I want seeds))) Reply
Diana 04/01/2015 18:35 I brought a flycatcher last year. I was very worried about how it would winter. There is little information in Net, so I share my experience. In November, I transferred it to the refrigerator (on the door), almost did not water it, 5 times during the winter. In March, I took it out (I thought that the plant had died), put it on the windowsill in the sun - small sprouts appeared !!! I water only with filtered water and no fertilizers.

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Eugene 05/11/2015 19:40 and give me, pzhalsta

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Eugene 05/11/2015 19:46 hello everyone

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Katerina 06/14/2015 7:12 PM I would buy seeds .. If real. Moscow

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Katerina 06/14/2015 7:13 PM I quote Timofey:

I can give seeds

I want to buy .. Reply
Marina 07/24/2015 15:46 And I would buy seeds.

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Maya 09/21/2015 00:41 Please tell me more about the winter period. I met the information that the temperature is needed 5-10 C, your day is up to 20 C at night is much lower. In ordinary urban conditions, where is it better to attach a plant? We have a heating season both day and night, is it necessary to put the plant in the refrigerator / balcony at night, or is it not critical if the temperature is the same day and night, say, just below 20 C?

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Irina 09/22/2015 00:50 am I quote Maya:

Please tell me more about the winter period. I met the information that the temperature is needed 5-10 C, your day is up to 20 C at night is much lower.In ordinary urban conditions, where is it better to attach a plant? We have a heating season both day and night, is it necessary to put the plant in the refrigerator / balcony at night, or is it not critical if the temperature is the same day and night, say, just below 20 C?

Hello Maya. Yes, you are right, in winter the temperature should be about 5-10 degrees. There is an inaccuracy in the article, we will correct it. You can keep it on the refrigerator door all the time, not only at night (3-4 months). And if it stands on a glazed balcony, then the temperature there itself will change day and night, the main thing is that it is not higher than 15 degrees. The place is bright, but not the direct rays of the sun, not the south window. Reply
Christina 10/03/2015 21:19 And the cat will not catch, this predator-flower?

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Irina 10/04/2015 01:12 I quote Christina:

And the cat will not catch, this predator-flower?

Only if you do not feed him to this predator Wrong weight category)) Reply
Sergei 10/20/2015 2:00 PM Give the seeds of this plant to pzh.

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Flowering lasts several weeks and greatly depletes the plant, which adversely affects the full development of traps. Therefore, experienced indoor flower lovers are advised to cut the flower stalks before the buds bloom.

Outcomes

Now you know how to keep an unusual plant - Dionea. These guidelines will come in handy for anyone who wants to keep a Venus flytrap at home. For some people, she even becomes a kind of pet, and not just a window sill decoration. She will have to be watered, walked, protected from diseases and wind. No other indoor plant, when hungry, opens its mouth-trap. And taking care of Dionea can be a great incentive to learn how to catch live insects.

Wintering and dormant period

In the fall, new leaves stop growing on the plant - it prepares for hibernation. To help Dionea enter winter peace, it is recommended to keep watering to a minimum and no longer leave water in the sump. When the flycatcher hibernates, the pot with it must be moved to a darkened place where the temperature does not exceed 7-10 degrees. You can take the flower out to the glazed balcony or even put it in the refrigerator.

Until the onset of spring, the predator plant does not require any nutrition or special lighting. The only thing that is required of you is to occasionally water the soil, but you should not overdo it here either, because an excessive amount of moisture will lead to rotting of the roots. A flycatcher that has fallen into hibernation does not look attractive - having acquired a brown tint, its leaves die off.

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Content

• Description
• Venus Flytrap Care How to Grow
• Watering
• Fertilizer
• How to feed a Venus flytrap
• Transfer

Venus flytrap bloom

Leaving during flowering

Wintering

Venus flytrap propagation

Growing from seeds

Propagation by leaf cuttings

Dividing the bush

Diseases and pests

Pests

Diseases

Types and varieties

Flowering and reproduction

While the growing season is often of little concern to those who keep the flycatcher at home, it can be interesting. Flowering occurs in spring - buds bloom on long, vertical stems in anticipation of pollinators. Fruits with seeds ripen later. Having collected them, you can try to germinate them, but seedlings can only be expected in about a month.

The most popular way is to divide the bush. The fact is that as the plant grows, the flycatcher grows daughter bulbs, which can be separated from the main one when they are sufficiently developed. This should be done immediately after leaving the period of winter dormancy. Another method is grafting, but it requires a huge amount of light and 100% moisture.

Breeding methods

Here are four breeding methods for Dionea:

• cuttings;
• dividing the bulbs;
• seminal;
• use of the peduncle.

Cuttings

Dionea cuttings must be taken without a trap. Slices need to be processed with Kornevin. You need to plant the cutting with the lower white part at an angle. Wet peat or, alternatively, a mixture of sand and peat is required in the container. Next, the lid must be tightly closed, and then put in the light and warm. At the same time, until the plant takes root, it is required to maintain warmth, bright lighting and high humidity.

Dionea can be propagated by cuttings without traps

Baby bulbs

An adult Dionea becomes "equipped" with many daughter bulbs during life. This plant feels great next to children, and their separation is a great stress for him. And therefore, at least three years must pass between two neat sections of the bulbs. Care must be taken when separating the bulbs and separating them with the roots. The bulbs must then be planted in separate pots.

Important! Places of cuts must be sprinkled with crushed coal.

Further, these seedlings must first be kept under a film in order to arrange a greenhouse effect, and before they take root, kept in partial shade.

Dionea produces many bulbs, but their separation is stress for the plant.

Growing from seeds

Dionea is the most difficult to propagate by seed. Worse, it remains to be seen what happens. Genetically, daughter plants are not complete "clones" of maternal ones, and the characteristic features inherent in maternal Dionea are lost. Seeds are given only by an adult plant, and such a Dionea becomes, reaching a couple of years. The florist will have to pollinate the dionea with his own hands. You need to take pollen from each flower with a cotton swab or a small brush, which you want to transfer to another flower. And do it for several days and several times. If pollination is successful, a capsule fruit is formed on the plant. In the fall, it will already contain seeds suitable for sowing. They need to be planted immediately, because then germination is lost.

Important! Purchased Dionea seeds must be planted in the same way as those obtained on their own.

You will have to pollinate Dionea to get seeds yourself
First of all, it is required to prepare a container and soil for planting, and for the further maintenance of plants, also a greenhouse. It is recommended to plant seeds in a container with a lid. Lay out the bottom with a mixture of one part of sand and two parts of sphagnum moss. Before planting, you must also process the seed with Topaz solution, while strictly following the attached instructions. Next, the seeds must be spread over the soil mixture. Now cover the container with a lid, place in the sun. In its absence, it is possible under a fluorescent lamp or under a phytolamp. The light should hit the container for about 13 hours a day, plus or minus one hour. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain the maximum air humidity.

Important! Keep the temperature at 25-30 degrees.

The seeds will take about a month to give the first shoots. When the soil begins to dry out, it needs to be moistened with warm distilled water from a spray bottle. With the appearance of the first foliage, it is time to start airing the greenhouse. At first, it needs to be opened for a short time, allowing the seedlings to harden and get used to the fresh air. Already after a month, it is allowed to leave the greenhouse open. After some more time, the sprouts need to be cut into pots with a diameter of nine centimeters, plus or minus one centimeter. It will take five years for the seed from the sprout to mature.

A flycatcher grows from Venus seeds for a long time, while it requires careful care: you need to organize a "greenhouse" for plant germination, control lighting and watering

Reproduction using a peduncle

In spring, a long peduncle grows on Dionea. Its length reaches 50 centimeters, while the plant itself can be 10-15 centimeters “tall”.If the dionea is still young, she may not have enough strength for such a flowering, which will lead to illness. So the florist, not sure of the strength of the plant, should immediately cut off the peduncle. However, it is better to preserve this part of the Dionea in order for them to propagate the plant. To do this, the peduncle needs to be cut until it reaches only five centimeters. It needs to be thrust into moistened peat to a depth of five centimeters. Next, cover with a film or a light-transmitting cap, thereby creating greenhouse conditions.

The peduncle takes root from one and a half to two months. Throughout this period, it is required to ventilate the greenhouse and carefully monitor that the peat retains proper moisture. Even if the peduncle dries up, this is normal, it will not affect the timing of the appearance of the shoots, so you should not despair.

Important! A month after the appearance of the overgrowth, it is time to transplant it into a pot.

You can propagate the plant with a growing peduncle, which is cut and rooted in the peat.

How the plant reproduces

The flycatcher reproduces in different ways - by cuttings, seeds, or by dividing the bulb. Getting Dionea seeds is the longest and most difficult process. During the growth of the flower, bulbs appear - they are cut and transplanted. Cuttings can also be cut and planted in the soil, after which you need to cover the flower pot with a film. The fly eater reproduces by maintaining a certain temperature (no more than 25 degrees) and ensuring optimal humidity.

Growing Dionea from seeds

To get sundew seeds, you need to pollinate its flowers yourself using a cotton swab or brush. If the process was done correctly, then in a month small boxes with seeds will appear. They need to be sown three months after pollination, otherwise germination is then lost. If the seeds have been stored longer, then before planting, you need to stratify - hold for a month and a half in the refrigerator, having previously wrapped in sphagnum and corked in a bag with a zipper.

When planting, sprinkle the seeds over the surface of the soil and use a spray bottle to spray with soft water. Do not forget to comply with the requirements for the placement of crops - put the containers in the greenhouse under bright diffused sunlight or artificial light. Maintain the temperature in the room at about 24-29 degrees, make sure that the soil is always moist. You will see seedlings in 2-3 weeks. After another 2-3 weeks, when the seedlings of the Venus flytrap grow up, you can place the flower in a pot, the diameter of which does not exceed 8-9 cm.

Propagation by cuttings

It is necessary to carefully cut off one leaf from Dionea, process the cut with the help of Kornevin. Having placed the cutting at an angle, plant it in a substrate of peat and quartz sand. After that, you can cover the container with a transparent cap and leave it at room temperature under bright light until growth appears on the cuttings - this often happens after three months. Remember that rooting is not recommended, otherwise the cuttings may be affected by fungi.

By dividing the bush

It is much easier to propagate a flycatcher in this way. It is best to do this during the Dionea transplant: a flower 1-2 years old is taken out of the pot, then the roots are freed from the soil and, using a sterile tool, the daughter rosettes are separated from the adult plant. After that, the rosettes are seated in separate pots, they are removed in partial shade before they take root in the new substrate.

Recommendations

The soil

There are two types of soil mixture for Dionea. Each of them consists of a pair of components taken in equal proportions. One of the components of both is high moor peat, and the other is perlite or quartz sand, at the choice of the grower. Perlite is simply ideal because it prevents rot and retains moisture well in the soil.However, perlite must be pre-soaked with distilled water for a week. It is required to transplant the plant once every couple of years. But great care is needed - the traps must not be touched, otherwise it may damage them.

Important! It is better to choose the time for transplanting in the spring.

The composition of the soil for Dionea should include high-moor peat, perlite

Flower nutrition

Earthworms, beetles clad in hard shells, and gnawing insects are not suitable for Dionea. Meat and sausage are also not suitable, they are poison for the plant trap. During the growing season, the plant will have enough of a couple of live flies, spiders or mosquitoes, and not very large in size. Here are some more contraindications to feeding the Venus flytrap:

• disease;
• weakened state;
• condition after growing in the dark or twilight;
• a condition resulting from being in too high humidity;
• stress;
• period between September and spring.

A dead victim is not suitable for a plant - you cannot slip it, for example, a dead fly, the dionea simply will not eat it

Diseases

Dionea is a full of life plant with good immunity to diseases. However, the wrong content will prevent her from hunting.

If you constantly keep the dionea in the cold and too high humidity, it is possible that the roots and stems will be damaged by the fungus, and the foliage - with gray rot. Then the plant needs to be treated with fungicides.

Sometimes Dionea cannot digest food, and then it is affected by a bacterial infection. In this case, the trap rots, turns black, the pathology immediately passes to the rest of the Dionea.

Important! The affected trap must be removed immediately, the plant must be treated with a suitable fungicide.

If the Venus flytrap does not digest food, it may be sick.
Watering with hard water invariably accumulates calcium in the soil, and then the leaves turn yellow.

If the grower neglects watering, yellowing and foliage fall off. It is necessary to maintain at least a little moisture in the soil.

If the young foliage of the Dionea is exposed to direct sunlight, it gets sunburn. The place where the pot is installed should be evaluated from the very beginning. Perhaps the vessel needs to be shaded or moved somewhere.

To protect the plant from sunburn, you need to place it away from direct sunlight, but so that the lighting is sufficient

Parasites

Dionea is sometimes attacked by small parasites from insects. These are aphids, mealybugs and spider mites. They parasitize on traps and lower leaves, feeding on sap. Thus, these insects disrupt the metabolism of the plant. Insecticides will help with these pests.

Transfer

It is best to replant the plant in the spring, when it comes out of hibernation. How to plant a Venus flytrap in a new pot? In this case, the following rules are observed:

• The long roots of the plant require a deep, but not wide, capacity.
• When planting, carefully handle the fragile roots of Dionea, try not to damage them.
• After removing the flower from the old container, pour water over the roots to wash off the remnants of the old soil.
• A new pot is filled with soil, mixing equal amounts of perlite and sphagnum moss, or take two parts of peat and perlite, adding one part of quartz sand.

In order for the plant to take root well, increase watering and do not expose it to bright sun. This will take about a month.

Varieties and varieties

Dionea is a monotypic genus. In simple terms, there is only one species in it. However, there are many varieties of it. We list just a few of them.

Variety	Description
Danate Trap	Dionea, which has a diameter of eleven centimeters, plus or minus one centimeter. There are five to twelve traps on the plant. The flower is usually green. There is a red stripe on the outside of the traps. Their inner cavity is also colored red. Foliage and traps are upright.
Giant	A variety with a green leaf rosette.Traps that are over five centimeters in size grow quickly. If the light is bright, they appear bright crimson.
Akai Ryu	In this Dionea, foliage and traps are colored dark red, regardless of the brightness of the light. Outside on the traps, you can see a strip of green hue.
Ragula	Variety with green foliage. Purple and red traps alternate with each other.
Bohemian Garnet	A dense green plant, reaching twelve centimeters in diameter. There are five to twelve horizontal traps on it. The foliage is broad and covers the soil.
Funnel Trap	This plant is green when young. The petioles do not change color with age, but the traps turn red. Each flower has a pair of traps, differing in structure.
Crocodile	Young representatives of this variety are almost completely green, and the inner cavity of the traps is pinkish. Then the traps turn red. The foliage is horizontal.
Triton	Green dionea. The variety differs from the others in its special form of traps. These parts of the plant are elongated and cut on only one side, and it happens that the teeth stick together.
Dracula	Green plant, except for the red inner cavity of the traps. The traps have short teeth with a red stripe at the base.