Some pics of a Drosera binata and a sundew

A guy I work with is into carnivorous plants and he keeps two at work. I had my camera with me today and here's a few shots.

Drosera binata











Not sure of the species name of this one, sorry.

Sundew







If I wasn't so horrible with plants, I would love to keep some of these!

Thanks for looking! -Chad

Stunning shots as always Chad! :biggrin:

Droseras are actually very easy to keep, provided that you have access to a well-lit sunny windowsill, preferably facing south or southeast, and a supply of distilled or rain water. I keep mine sitting in plastic cups of distilled water, don't let them dry out at all, and that's it. The bottom plant looks like my Drosera spatulata, or Spoon-Leaf Sundew. They aren't as effective at grabbing insects as my D. capensis, but they're still neat-looking little plants.

pitbulllady

Really cool plants and brilliant pics as always.

My gosh Chad, these are totally unreal and spectacular plants and photos!! I especially love the Drosera binata, I've never seen that sort of Sundew (is it still a Sundew?) before, just the clubbed ones. WAY cooler than Venus Flytraps!!

Hmm ... maybe I should just plant a Drosera binata in with each T and let it capture all the mites.


p.s. Did you notice on the 2nd and 3rd to last photos, one of the leaves still has its stickies bent inwards as if it's just finished digesting an insect.

Mites are not insects; and they might not be attracted.
Nor is the sundew's need for a LOT of light and "unfertilized" water compatible with most tarentulas.

I don't know whether "rotating" a tarentula and a sundew could balance their respective needs...
Or whether a sundew might become more attractive to mites if tarantula "leavings" were absent.

This could be an interesting experiment.

Would anyone try it out...

And let us know...?

Would be an elegant and beautiful solution though don't you think?

Unfortunately that was just mentioned in jest ... mites being such an insidious problem, effectively 'welding' themselves to the host and leaving microscopic eggs everywhere, perhaps even in the T. The only solution seems to be to get a bunch of Stratiolaelaps scimitus womersley mites and let them battle it out over time.

My god those are gorgeous photos.

Wonderful photos of the Drosera's Adavan, I love sundews! Do you know if they keep the second species of sundew inside all year round? If so they might be a D. alaciae. If not they might definitely be D. spatulata. I've seen them in the wild in OH and MI.

Papilo, D. banita is most definitely a sundew, if I recall they are native to the US in the southern states, probably Florida. A better option for possibly catching mites might be Pinguicula, commonly known as butter warts. They use the same sticky trap mechanism as Drosera, but its on a much smaller scale. They are actually succulents and go into a dormancy where they don't have Carnivorous vegitation. Not sure exactly what you call it, but they are tropical so it might be feasible. Definitely wouldn't harm a juvie/adult tarantula while growing in its carnivorous stage. But that's if the mites would venture onto the plant. I dont think it would be effective but neat none the less.

Pitbulllady, there are a couple species of Drosera that require less light than common in the genus. D. adalea comes to mind. They prefer filtered sun light, and are a very common species of Drosera, not as interesting as D. capensis (as most don't display the movement that capensis does). You can still see the movement of the individual "tentacles" towards the prey item in almost all species. They also don't have as striking of a color form as most other Drosera; but I think even Adavan would be able to grow them!

advan said:

If I wasn't so horrible with plants, I would love to keep some of these!

Click to expand...

I'm terrible with houseplants too! So I've started growing them from seed instead of buying them from a garden center. Makes it more interesting I think, and more sentimental so I might actually keep it alive!

Wow--nice pics!! I have been thinking about ordering some Utricularia sandersonii, so I was browsing this neighborhood of the forum... Are these Dactylus's plants, by chance?