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Post by stevebooth on Jun 16, 2024 13:33:54 GMT
Well, finally the outdoor Darlingtonia have started to actively grow. It’s been cold, windy and this has challenged them somewhat, plus I have an as yet unidentified pest just eating the roofs off one of the bucket of traps.   Cheers Steve |
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Post by stevebooth on Jun 16, 2024 14:50:25 GMT
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Post by corky on Jun 19, 2024 19:09:14 GMT
Don't know but I respect your attention to detail in the ongoing investigation, my plants have looked terrible the last few years as something has been attacking the pitchers before they've fully formed so I'm often left with a twisted mess. Wasps seem good at cutting their way out of things but I haven't witnessed one breaking and entering before.
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Post by fredg on Jun 19, 2024 21:21:59 GMT
Is the damage on old pitchers?
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Post by dvg on Jun 20, 2024 0:03:37 GMT
Hi Steve, definitely looks like some bird damage to me.
A few years back, the birds ravaged the pitchers on my Darlingtonia.
Looks like yours might have had a yellow jacket/blue bottle fly buzzing around inside under the dome fenestrations which consequently caught some bird's attention.
Wait until they figure out the tubes are full of good grub - they'll shred em like they were Pixie Stix.
Cheers,
Doug
dvg
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Post by stevebooth on Jun 21, 2024 14:48:44 GMT
Thanks for the thoughts gents, I shall ruminate. The problem is getting worse, they have moved onto some of the larger colonies up the garden now, whatever they are. The damage is the same in all cases.
In answer to Fred's question, all the damage is on this years, new softer growth but only on the larger pitchers, just to make it doubly frustrating.
Doug - that is a reasonable assumption but its something I have never ever in thirty odd years, had before, and for so many to be damaged is infuriating. I will keep my eyes peeled and see what, if anything, I can observe. It does seem very plausible that one of the Sphagnum thieving, seedling-destroying, fertiliser spreading thugs has found yet another way to brass me off further.
Cheers
Steve
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Post by fredg on Jun 21, 2024 20:55:23 GMT
Is there frass?
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Post by stevebooth on Jun 25, 2024 9:33:05 GMT
Hi Fred - No frass and that has been perplexing me, but whatever the miscreant was/is it seems to have abated its attacks at the moment, whether that's because the pitchers have hardened somewhat or not I don't know. I will take the win happy in my ignorance.
Looking at the damage I feel that Doug's theory may well be correct, whether there was flying prey inside the heads at the time I know not.
Another mystery was successfully unresolved by yours truly.
Cheers
Steve
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Post by stevebooth on Jul 28, 2024 12:34:19 GMT
This little chap caught my eve whilst walking the estate this morning. It put a smile on my face.  Cheers Steve |
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not here it isn't