hi diakon tomato,

This really all depends on where you're trying to control your pests. I dont know what zone you live in, or what your house's conditions are like, nor do I know what pest you are trying to control, but there are some varieties that might be good. In genral, cp's aren't incredible pest controlers, but in some cases it is worth a try. If you want one for outdoors, i'd reccomend any species of sarracenia, especially s. leucophyllia. The american pitcher plant in general is a greedy bug catcher, and this particular species is even more so. Not only that, but they are very easy to grow and mainain.

If you're looking for a house plant, I'd have to go with a sundew. nepenthes alata or ventricosa could even work, but the sundews, especially a cape sundew, are much more easier in cultivation. You just have to provide it with a good sunny windowsill and some humidity. Mine currently has a feast on it's hands because of all the house flies seeking refuge inside my house from the summer heat.

However, you MUST keep in mind that cp's can become prey to pests as well. Thrip, scale, mealybug, and aphids....wait, ESPECIALLY APHIDS.... enjoy taking a munch out of your sarracenia or other cp's, and a plant such as these could easily increase the infestation further. Mosquitos, for some odd reason, just have a hard time becoming prey for cp's. They dont damage them (to my knowledge), and only produce their larvae in your water trays. If you're trying to eliminate mosquitos through the use of cp's just forget about it. It just won't work.

Good luck to you,
Squim4

Don't count on them to control insects. They do eat lots (my sarrs pitchers fill up during the season!) but not enough to make a big difference in the insect population.

Inside the Sundews will grab LOTS of fungus gnats. Tropical pitchers are fun too but Sundews catch more stuff inside. Sarrs and VFTs are OUDOOR plants and need their winter dormancy.

Tom

What kind and size of pests? As Tom says, they aren't adequate for eradicating the problem. For small critters, butterworts and sundews are appropriate, for larger critters, VFT's and the American & Asian pitcher plants.

I do not keep them specifically for controlling pests. Actually they seem to draw everything just outside the door into the apartment when the door is opened. Once you have a closed environment, the Cape sundew cannot be beat as an all around insect catcher. I recently had about 20 flies get into the apartment one day and the Cape sundew grabbed about 7 in a couple of hours as compared to the 5 caught by the Venus Flytrap. Sundews do well for mosquito control indoors as well, but only if you have a large quantity of them all over the place. Mosquitoes like to land on foliage, but its your blood the females are after.. So dont expect carnivorous plants to stop them immediately. As a matter of fact, some few might be smarter or luckier than average.. like one particular fly that remained alive for days hanging around the carnivorous plant space eating the nectar and sleeping on Nepenthes and Venus Flytrap leaves. It eventually disappeared so something got it or it died of old age.

Cape sundew with several digested flies.

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Venus Flytrap with it's mouths full.

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Got to LOVE the insect eaters! Mmmmm, BUGS!