Re: Fire Ants

Robert Allen (Robert.Allen@Eng.Sun.COM)
Mon, 22 Nov 1993 14:41:06 +0800

>>Does Sarracenia rubra varieties have any attraction for fire ants?
>>I've noticed that this plant (I'm assuming mine is a "purebred"
>>rubra...) is an irresistable lure for the small, harmless black ants
>>around our place. In fact,I looked down the trap of one on the
>>weekend (looking for a still buzzing fly) and found dozens of live
>>ants in a ring around the inside of the pitcher apparently struggle to
>>stay just above the liquid.

Same here. It's getting cold out now, but yesterday I
found some rather large ants harvesting nectar, and being
harvested, by my S. rubra plant. I've also read elsewhere
that S. rubra has a propensity for ants. Maybe just because
it's shorter.
>>
>>On a related note, our S. flava took about 30 seconds to dispatch a
>>European wasp from the time in flew into the glasshouse (I made a
>>fairly hasty departure ;-) ) 'til it fell in. Unfortunately, these
>>wasps don't go without a fight and this one chewed a hole in the
>>pitcher in an attempt to escape (nearly worked too).

Geez John, with all these nasty bugs down under, do you
have to bring a shotgun and bowie knife when you go to
your greenhouse? Shades of "Food of the Gods" :-).

Bzzz Bzzzzzz...

-shick-shuck, *KA-BLAM*!

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!

-shick-shuck, *KA-BLAM*!

-shick-shuck, *KA-BLAM*!

-shick-shuck, *KA-BLAM*!

bzzzz. bz. rattttle... ack.

"'durned hornets get bigger every year..."

Robert

"There's nothing more dangerous than a wounded mosquito."