Carnivorous Plants/Aquatic worms?

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Expert: - 8/18/2008


Question
I recently acquired a flytrap and a cape sundew from an online retailer, both in pre-mixed pots. After allowing them to acclimate to the environment in my home, they are finally stable and appear to be doing well. However, in the water trays I'm using for them, I've been seeing numerous tiny, white worm-like creatures swimming about. I had originally thought they were some form of Nematode, but the way they swim has since led me to believe otherwise. They seem to be propelled through the water with little to no whipping motion and slightly shrink up when they hit an obstacle, kind of like a slug, they even sometimes appear to swim backwards. They are as thin as a hair and approximately 1 to 3 millimeters in length. I'm completely baffled as to what these things are and would greatly appreciate any input as to the possible danger of these creatures to my plants.

Answer
Hello Sean,

Since they are so small I would bet that they are difficult to identify. The worm like motion seems to indicate that they are indeed a wormlike critter of some type since mosquito larvae would move with a whipping motion as well. They might be planarians or some other tiny predator. If you are worried about them you can just rinse the trays out periodically, water from the top, and let the trays dry between waterings for a day or so.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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