Caring for a Venus Fly Trap

Table of Contents
Contents
Table of Contents................................................................................................................. 3
Venus fly traps .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
History of the Venus Fly Trap .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Why you want a Venus Fly Trap (Party with it?) ..... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Picture of a sweet looking Venus fly trap ................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Getting Started .................................................................................................................... 6
Picking out a Venus Fly Traps .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Necessities. ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Caring for your venus fly traps ............................................................................................ 8
Where to Place your plant ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Watering ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Feeding...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Fertilizer.................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Plant Shock or diseases ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Chapter Three ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Index .................................................................................................................................. 12

What is a Venus Fly Trap?

The Venus Fly Trap is a carnivorous plant that preys on various insects. The Venus Fly
Traps captures its prey through its unique leaf, which consists of two regions. There is
the leaf-base, which carries out photosynthesis and is a lot like a normal, noncarnivorous leaf. There is also the leaf-blade, which is the Venus Fly Traps primary
trapping mechanism. It is comprised of two lobes that are hinged together, closing to
trap the prey. The leaf-blade includes a few triggers hairs, which when stimulated,
informs the plant to close the trap and digest the insect. Teeth-like cilia line the edges of
the leaf-blade and lace together when the trap closes.

After the Venus Fly Trap digests the insect, all that is left of the body is the exoskeleton.
Generally, a Venus Fly Trap creates its own food through photosynthesis, and only
digests insects to get minerals that supplement its diet. Its digestive processes usually
take 5-12 days between the initial trap and reopen of the leaf-blade.

Why own a Venus Fly Trap?

Venus Fly Traps are very interesting and can turn a boring dorm or apartment into a
cool garden of mystical proportions. It makes a great centerpiece for Dungeons and
Dragons and can act as inspiration for writers or artists. I have no idea why anyone
wouldnt want a Venus Fly Trap. Theyre cheap and cool. Why have an ordinary plant
that sits around and does nothing but soak up the sun, when you can have a carnivorous
plant that destroys spiders and flies?

Necessities

Pot

Soil

Watering Can

Venus Fly Trap

Food/Insects

Access to Sunlight

Getting Started
Pots
A properly sized pot is essential for any plant to grow properly. The pot cannot be too
big or too small. It should be appropriate for the Venus Fly Trap.

Soil
The Venus Fly Trap tends to grow healthier when theyre in poor, acidic soil with wet
roots.

Fill pot halfway with soil

Place Venus

Caring for your Venus Fly Traps

Where to Place your plant
You will need to make sure that your Venus Fly Trap has full exposure to sunlight so it
would be better to have them outside, although it is possible to keep your fly trap
indoors. The Venus Fly Trap thrives in poor, acidic soil with wet roots and high
humidity. Using a terrarium or glass container with a small opening fulfills these
requirements.
Tips:
1. Glass terrariums can get hot quickly. Make sure your terrarium does not overheat your
plant!
2. If you plant begins to wilt, it has been in the sun too long. Two hours each day in full
sunlight is sufficient.

Watering
When watering, make sure you let the soil dry out in between the process so that way
you will not kill the plant by over watering it or under watering it. If you keep your plant
outdoors and it rains, the container may fill up with water but this will not hurt the
plants, they can live underwater for months. When the soil is dry, then water the plant
again. Do this process twice a week.

Feeding
When it comes to feeding your Venus Fly Trap, the best type of food for them is bugs.
Feeding your Venus Fly Trap insects guarantees a healthy plant.
If you keep your plant outdoors:
Your Venus Fly Trap will naturally trap and eat insects.
If you keep your plant indoors:
1. Either buy or trap a few small insects such as fruit flies, small slugs, or spiders. It is best
for these to be live during the time of feeding.
2. Using tweezers, place the insect on the inside of the leaf-blade.
3. Stimulate the trigger hairs using the tweezers.
4. Watch your plant trap and demolish the insect.

Fertilizer
DO NOT USE FERTILIZER!!!!

Venus Fly Traps thrive in new soil. Transplant the fly trap into fresh soil every two to
three years.

Transplant Shock
There are few diseases you will encounter when caring for your Venus Fly Trap. The
most common is shock. This generally occurs when you transplant the fly trap to new
soil. To avoid this:
1. Avoid disturbing the roots.
2. Keep as much of the roots as possible.
3. Make sure the plant is moist and well-watered.
Even if you follow these tips, your plant can still go into shock. If this happens:
1. Trim any dead leaves.
2. Make sure the plant is watered and the soil is moist.
The plant will overcome the shock. It is important to wait for the plant to heal itself.
Attempting to cure the plant can disturb the roots even more and cause the plant to stay
in a state of shock. As long as you find and take care of your plant theyre going to
continue to grow, not matter how many years old the plant is.

Index
Themes, iii, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16,
17, 18

Word, iii, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16,

17, 18