Post by cavila1 on Apr 13, 2016 7:46:00 GMT
Haven't posted for some time, so here it goes...
I'm already growing three types of terrestrial Utricularia: U. bisquamata & U. sandersonii. Plus an accidental hitchhiker from a small bale of sphagnum moss purchased from Florida more then 10 years ago, U. subulata.
This year I'm trying my hand on growing a couple of North America aquatic Utricularia: U. vulgaris & U. inflata. Purchased two turions from Meadowview Biological Research Station early March, which were both placed inside an eight gallon aquarium already prepared with other aquatic plants. Both Utricularia promptly began to grow.
Utricularia vulgaris
Utricularia inflata
U. vulgaris I discovered is a large plant, more then I thought! And it produces more bladders then U. inflata!
About two week after I placed them in the aquarium, U. vulgaris has began to trap mosquito larva. The large wigglers by their tail & the smaller ones totally inside the bladders. The first pic you can see three large ones trap, one in the middle & two only their heads poking out at the bottom left. Second pic you can see the large one & the smaller wigglers totally inside the bladders.
U. inflata has also begun to catch wigglers but usually the smaller larva, U. vulgaris is the one that is doing most of the trapping. There aren't that many wigglers now, only a few smaller ones.
This is going to be an interesting year watching my aquatic utricularia grow, hopefully they flower.
I'm already growing three types of terrestrial Utricularia: U. bisquamata & U. sandersonii. Plus an accidental hitchhiker from a small bale of sphagnum moss purchased from Florida more then 10 years ago, U. subulata.
This year I'm trying my hand on growing a couple of North America aquatic Utricularia: U. vulgaris & U. inflata. Purchased two turions from Meadowview Biological Research Station early March, which were both placed inside an eight gallon aquarium already prepared with other aquatic plants. Both Utricularia promptly began to grow.
Utricularia vulgaris
Utricularia inflata
U. vulgaris I discovered is a large plant, more then I thought! And it produces more bladders then U. inflata!
About two week after I placed them in the aquarium, U. vulgaris has began to trap mosquito larva. The large wigglers by their tail & the smaller ones totally inside the bladders. The first pic you can see three large ones trap, one in the middle & two only their heads poking out at the bottom left. Second pic you can see the large one & the smaller wigglers totally inside the bladders.
U. inflata has also begun to catch wigglers but usually the smaller larva, U. vulgaris is the one that is doing most of the trapping. There aren't that many wigglers now, only a few smaller ones.
This is going to be an interesting year watching my aquatic utricularia grow, hopefully they flower.
