Expert: Christopher Littrell - 6/10/2008

Question
Hi,

  My venus flytrap isn't doing so well these days. I don't know why but the two sides (just below the trap) of the leaves started to yellow for the last few days, and i think eventually that leaf will darken. I have been worrying about it since it is happening for many other leaves as well. Well, i put my venus flytrap's pot into another "better looking pot" where i put water in, and today, i cam back home from school and when i pulled out the interior pot, i saw some little white pest in the "other" pot (since it was alomost dried up). I started to worry by then... are they killing my plant???!!! I searched on the internet, and they suggest me to buy some pesticide,                       but I don't think my mom would let me buy a whole pack for a simple plant like mine. Is there a way out of this?~!

Answer
Hello Nicol,

If pests are harming your plant you can buy some Neem oil with pyrethrines to kill them... it is often sold in small bottles in garden centers. If you are unable to acquire a pesticide you can submerge the plant completely under water for a day, take it out, then submerge it again for another day or two. That will drown out pests and will not harm your plant.

Tiny white pests could be a number of creatures... thrips are common and usually do not harm plants unless they are in great numbers. Fungus gnat larvae eat roots as well and usually do no real harm unless they are in large mobs too. Scale insects are small, white, fluffy or scaly looking insects that suck plant juice.

Also, make sure your plant is getting enough sunlight.. the optimum being outside in full sun, and that it is never fertilized or given hard water. Venus Flytraps sicken and die due to any number of reasons. Yellowing can be due to too much or too little of a variety of elements. Too much or too little light, nitrogen, or water can have those effects. Sicne Venus Flytraps are light intensive plants, it is unlikely that too much light is the cause. Are you sure the moss and perlite in your medium is the right type and unfertilized?

Where did you get the plant from? If it was from a Gerden center at a general store or hardware store it is likely sick to begin with since they keep them in shade and water them with tap water.

I hope your Venus Flytrap recovers,

Christopher