Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2000 14:02:06 EDT From: MCATALANI@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2758$foo@default> Subject: Re: S. purpurea
>The S. Purpurea Venosa caught a spider. In Adrian Slacks book Carnivorous
>Plants he says that they are decent insect catchers, but in The Savage
>garder Mr. Damata says they are poor catchers. >
My S. purpureas catch a large number of wasps and other bees. In one of
Slacks books he mentions that it seemed strange that one of his purpureas had
caught a bee, and that the plant seems to offer no attraction to them. While
bees feed on the nectar of every other Sarracenia, they seem to be attracted
to S. purpurea for water. Bees and wasps can be found constantly sipping
water from pockets in the bog, and that appears to be the reason why they are
caught in such abundance by purpurea. If you disturb a purpurea that has
caught any significant amount of prey, you will be consumed by a smell that
is capable of knocking you out. Back when I was shipping Sarracenia, purpurea
was my least favorite plant, as I had to endure that horrendous smell as I
washed the plants. I love purpurea, as long as it sits undisturbed in my
bogs.
Michael Catalani
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