As the summer approaches, many beneficial insects start to buzz around the garden, carrying pollen from one flower to another. While bees are getting busy, fruit flies, mosquitoes and other annoying insects also start flying around.
Just as primroses are signs of spring, it seems as though mosquitoes are signs of summer – they are literally everywhere. And no matter how far you go to get rid of them, there are always some that manage to sneak into your room and keep you up at night.
As I was scrolling through Tiktok, I saw an interesting video that gave me an idea on how to win this war against mosquitoes. Tiktoker Rosanne Becker introduced us to a carnivorous plant called the Pinguicula plant – it can catch and eat these fruit flies and mosquitoes in no time!
As you can see from the video, these plants can actually serve as a natural insect control!
Butterworts are small herbaceous plants featuring rosettes of flat leaves that are covered in a sticky substance called mucilage. They contain sessile glands that secrete acids and enzymes that can easily overtake their prey [1].
Butterworts’ leaves also have a sweet scent and taste that attract gnats, springtails, fruit flies, and any other bug that comes nearby. When insects land on the leaves, they get stuck!
Once they do, those enzymes and acids start breaking down the insect’s body. Then, the plant absorbs nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients that are released from the body.
You can get them at Home Depot or Lowes, although they are sold out as this video went viral. Luckily, you can always go on Amazon and see if there is anything available.
In case you just can’t find Butterworts, consider buying other carnivorous plants such as Venus flytrap, Cobra lily, or Monkey cap.