Unearthing how a #carnivorous fungus traps and digests worms
https://phys.org/news/2023-11-unearthing-carnivorous-fungus-digests-worms.html

Key processes required for the different stages of #fungal #carnivory by a nematode-trapping fungus https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002400

"#Arthrobotrys oligospora usually derives its #nutrients from decaying organic matter, but starvation and the presence of nearby #worms can prompt it to form traps to capture and consume worms. A. oligospora is just one of many species of #fungi that can trap and eat very small #animals."

Contours that kill: Geometry influences prey capture in #CarnivorousPlants https://phys.org/news/2023-09-contours-geometry-prey-capture-carnivorous.html

Mechanics reveals the role of peristome geometry in prey capture in #carnivorous #PitcherPlants (#Nepenthes) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2306268120

"shape, size, and geometry of carnivorous pitcher plants determines the type of prey they trap."

For those of you living in #south and #west #Wales, there is a brilliant #Welsh #orchid festival this weekend at #Aberglasney house & gardens near #Carmarthen, attended by some the UK''s most exciting growers & experts in their fields.

A fantastic range of #carnivorous #plants will also be available from one of the UK's national collection holders.

We went a few years ago and it was amazing.

The garden is also fabulous, so all in all, a worthy day out.

Support our local gardens if you can.

It's the end of an era spanning twenty years.

We need the money, so we've sold off our entire remaining collection of carnivorous pitcher plants. Five years ago, we sold half the collection, this afternoon the rest of the plants will be taken away.

I'm sad to see them go, but the cash they bring us will be helpful.

Unique Fossil Captures Struggle for Existence during #Cretaceous Period https://www.sci.news/paleontology/repenomamus-robustus-psittacosaurus-lujiatunensi-fossil-12111.html paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-37545-8

"The unusual #fossil from around 125 million years ago shows a dramatic moment in time when a species of #badger-like #carnivorous #mammal called #Repenomamus robustus attacked the bipedal plant-eating #dinosaur #Psittacosaurus lujiatunensi."

I have for years grown Pitcher plants in jars of Sphagnum moss, but last year I decided to try LECA.

I'm a fan of LECA for most plants including #Hoya, but I wasn't sure how my #Carnivorous plants would go in it, I moved a few plants to #LECA to see how they'd go.

What I've found is that #Pitcher plants love LECA, they grow even better in that than they would in moss, so I'll move them all to LECA soon.

I would not recommend it for Venus Fly Traps, I tried and lost the plants, the roots are too small and too close to the surface, so they fail to get enough water.

I haven't tried Sundews, but from memory they have long roots so should be ok.