Several of my sarracenia pitchers had bent and fallen over. I'm tempted to blame the squirrels, as I've seen them jump right through the plants in a frenzy, looking for somewhere to hide their nuts. I also learned this weekend that if a pitcher is particularly full of insects it can become so heavy it falls over...
Whatever the cause, the look wasn't especially great, so I trimmed off all the broken bits and put them in a vase on the dining table.
All the better to appreciate their unique coloration.
A few nights later I was making dinner when a big fat fly followed Andrew in the door. It buzzed around the kitchen trying to get into the food.
And then followed the food to the dining table, where it quickly became more obsessed with the sarracenia and dived right into one.
We ate our dinner listening to it buzzzzzzz trying to get out.
Once we were done I grabbed the pitcher the fly had flown into and took it outside and shook it upside down. The fly flew out and wasted no time getting the hell away.
Since the pitchers were already doomed I saw no point in letting the fly die too. It was quite nice though, to have it otherwise occupied while we ate.
Weather Diary, Sept 15: Hi 65, Low 58/ Precip .78" (!!!)
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
This would be a good story for Halloween. Kind of horrifying having listen to the poor fly buzzing around inside the death trap... I'm very glad for the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteYou're right! I never think to save this things, I could have embellished a bit and had a lot of fun with it.
DeleteYour arrangement is unusual but very cool. I am jealous of your blooms as my Sarracenia have done very little this summer. Sigh!
ReplyDeleteNot blooms actually, the pitchers. The blooms are quite cool in their own right, and last a long time. I hope you get some next year.
DeleteAn interesting dinner serenade. Always nice to get a little buzzed at dinner...
ReplyDeleteOh Peter, you haven't changed a bit!
DeleteOh, gosh, your story had me laughing right out loud, Loree. It would make such a funny movie scene!
ReplyDeleteGlad to inspire a laugh Eliza!
DeleteThat is a great story. I do NOT like flies and would have been sorely tempted to leave it to stew in the Sarracenia's juices but I'd like to think I'd have been as thoughtful as you were in the matter.
ReplyDeleteI bet you would have Kris. Better to get it outside and away...
DeleteA strangely delightful mix of the beautiful and the gruesome...
ReplyDeleteWith a happy ending!
DeleteI am thrilled -that I have manage to keep my Plantfest 2018 Sarracenias alive for one entire year. I wonder if they've caught anything ?
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Maybe you can come up for Horlandia in April and add to the collection?
DeleteHa! How very strange it must have been to have to listen to the fly buzzing while you were eating. You were very kind to let it out, since it wouldn't be feeding a living plant, it made sense. I like to think Karma will be good to you for that.
ReplyDeleteI can use all the good Karma I can collect!
DeleteWhat luxury to have those as a bouquet. And a science lesson to boot!
ReplyDeleteIt does feel rather luxurious!
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