Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 08:35:45 +0000 From: "Susan Farrington" <sfarrington@ridgway.mobot.org> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3938$foo@default> Subject: Dried flies as food
When I sent this message to the listserve, I forgot to change the
subject line. Hate that! So here it is belatedly...
Matt,
I'm not sure whether the additives are harmful or not, but I have
occasionally fed these flies to our cp's here at the garden, and have
not noticed ill effects so far. But I have only used them two or
three times a year, and each plant has gotten minimal amounts of
them. (The Sarracenia in our bog display don't get the opportunity to
eat a whole lot of insects, since not too many flies make it into the
conservatory.) When I've used them, I've re-hydrated them with R.O.
water, and then have spooned or tweezered the buggers down into the
pitchers. If you have the time and energy, perhaps you could do a
controlled experiment, feeding some plants and not others on a
regular basis, and observe for effects. Let us know if you do!
Susan
> decided it's time to feed some of them. I went to a local pet store
> and they had some freeze dried flies or other small insects which I
> believe they sold as reptile or amphibian food. I was going to buy
> some but got scared off when I read the label. Apparently, the
> manufacturer adds plenty of vitamins and minerals to these dead
> insects which are good for the animals eating them. My question is
> could these vitamins and minerals be harmful to CP? I dont recall
>
Susan Farrington
Missouri Botanical Garden
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis MO 63166-0299
susan.farrington@mobot.org
(314)577-9402
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