natural fly catchers

[franksolich]

I'm curious about something.

I'm wondering if these famous "Venus fly trap" plants are all they're made out to be, or if they're really, only ornamental.

I found this deal at www.DreamProductsCatalog.com, advertising GROW YOUR OWN INSECT EATING GARDEN!

The deal is, probably because of some sort of body chemistry, I attract flying insects all the time--flies, mosquitoes, wasps, bees.  It's not what one would call a major problem, but it is a nuisance.

Ever since I was a little lad, people have commented about how franksolich is good to have along with them on a picnic or fishing trip or other outdoor outing, because all of the insects were attracted to him, leaving everybody else alone.

Not being a primitive, it can't be bad body odor or poor personal hygiene; it has to be body chemistry.

I'm not willing to bathe in chemicals (insect repellents), and with all these cats, I'm not going to spray any aerosal stuff around.

It's not a major problem, but it is a nuisance.

Now, if I got one or two or three or ten or a hundred of these plants, because of the cats, I'd have to have the plants in pots hanging from the ceiling, overhead, which might or might not diminish their efficacy.

Do these things really work, or are they, really, only pretty plants and nothing more?

[Chris_]

Bats and birds catch more insects than a plant would.  I don't know if bats are native to Nebraska, but if there are any around, setting up a bat house is a good idea.  Ditto for certain species of birds.  We have lots of caves here, and bat houses are a common garden fixture.

[franksolich]

Bats and birds catch more insects than a plant would.  I don't know if bats are native to Nebraska, but if there are any around, setting up a bat house is a good idea.  Ditto for certain species of birds.  We have lots of caves here, and bat houses are a common garden fixture.

With all the cats around, there appears to be no more "vermin," such as bats.

When I first moved out here the autumn of 2005, there were all sorts of wildlife--rabbits, prairie dogs, coyotes, eagles and vultures, rats, mice, whatnot.

Now there's just birds, of many but unknown (to me) varieties.

I suspect with the arrival of the cats, all the other wildlife moved south and west of me.

[MrsSmith]

I think barn swallows are some of the very best bug catchers...and usually tolerate cats fairly well.  They build "mud and whatever" nests in the corners of eves and similar places.  You can recognise them when they fly because their wings appear to have a curve with the tip closer to the tail than the middle of the wing, instead of the normal triangular wing, somewhat similar to the curve in gull wings.  If, and I do mean if, you have them, protect the nests and the young.  They will return every year.  If you don't, unfortunately, I know of no way to attract them.

The years we had many of them on my parent's farm - before the old barn was torn down, when they had mulitple nesting sites - we had very few mosquitos, and they tended to clear out most other flying bugs.  (not bees or hornets, though).

They are also beautiful to watch in flight.    If you have them, cherish them. 

[LC EFA]

I've owned a Venus Fly trap plant before, It caught flies but not real many.

Pitcher Plants are far more effective at catching bugs.

As a side note, I left an open container with about 2" of methanol in the bottom lying about and forgot it. A week or so later I found the container and there was a solid inch of dead flies in the bottom (after the methanol evaporated).