It is somewhat curious that these curious plants, which so many people have captivated, can also be victims of pests, since after all, they feed on insects. But unfortunately there are not a few times that these uncomfortable or annoying parasites end up being the “predators” of vegetables.
So, today I am going to tell you what the pests of carnivorous plants are , and how we should act to eliminate them.
But before getting into the matter, it is important that we know that, in most cases, and especially when we talk about this type of plants, pests will only appear when there is an error in the crop , such as inadequate watering or location. Our carnivores can also be attacked if we have reused the blond peat without prior disinfection. Once we discover the origin of the appearance of the plague, we will be able to treat the underlying problem, preventing it from happening again.
The most common pests are cochineal and aphids . We will see both of them during the summer season, which is when the environment is usually drier, and the carnivorous plants are enjoying the high temperatures, growing at ease; as long as we have a plate full of water, which will be distilled, osmosis or rain. Otherwise, the defense system will be weakened , making any intruder want to take advantage of the situation. And that is when one day, without further ado, we begin to see mealybugs and aphids on the leaves (traps) or flowers of the carnivores.
pests
The most frequent type of cochineal is the one known as the San José louse . They are tiny parasites, less than 0.5cm long, dark gray in color. It has an oval shape, and they are found especially in the traps, or on the underside of the leaves.
Aphids , however , are more in the flowers, preventing them from opening. Depending on the habitat, they are one color or another. For example, in the Mediterranean they are green, but there are others that are yellow.
Treatment
Carnivorous plants are very special. Therefore, when you see an insect that should not be there, I recommend that you moisten the cotton with distilled water with a cotton swab and remove it with it. If the plague is very advanced, use a gauze also moistened with water, or in extreme cases, with chlorpyrifos , following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
