Do Venus Fly Traps Eat Stink bugs?

Venus Fly Traps can look like something out of a Sci-Fi flick.  Their other-worldly teethy leaves could easily be seen alongside other mystical man-eating plants, where dragonflies the size of elephants buzz overhead.

But, Venus Fly Traps are very real.

Do Venus Fly Traps Actually Eat Bugs?

Venus Fly Traps are a type of carnivorous plant.  Yeah, they actually eat bugs and insects.

They primarily use a trap in the leaves of the plant, that is triggered when an unsuspecting insect lands on the leaves.  The sneaky Venus Fly Trap increases the odds of this happening by secreting sweet-smelling nectar to its brightly colored inner leaves.

The unlucky insect then gets trapped inside the tightly closed leaf-mouth, where it is slowly digested by the Venus Fly Trap.

Cool? Gross?  It depends on your point of view, we suppose.

Do Venus Fly Traps Eat Stink Bugs?

So the question is, can these carnivorous killers be put to work for you in your battle against the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug?

Stink bugs are a pest to everyone who encounters them.  The little invaders get into your homes any way they can, and literally seem to come out of the woodwork when the temperatures are right.  Before you know it, the little stinkers are swarming around every crevice of your house.

Keep Stink Bugs Out of Your Home

There are many different types of stink bug traps available, and we should use every weapon at our disposal in the war on stink bugs.

So the question is, can the Venus Fly Trap be used to get rid of stink bugs?

The answer is, sort of…

Yes, Venus Fly Traps can eat stink bugs.

Just like flys and spiders, stink bugs landing on the trap-like leaves of the Venus fly trap will be caught and digested by the plant.  Venus Fly Traps are ‘smart’ enough to not use up their energy on objects that won’t provide nutrients, but to a Venus Fly Trap, a stink bug is a juicy treat.

If you have been waging war on stink bugs in your home, it should bring you some small satisfaction to see one get ensnared in the natural vice of the carnivorous Venus Fly Trap.

But…

Yes, of course, there’s a ‘but’.

Venus Fly Traps are typically pretty small.  You may be imagining a large, hungry carnivore growling “FEED ME” as it awaits its next meal.  Unfortunately, that is a little off the mark.

The small Venus Fly Traps actually only need to consume, on average, about an insect every other week or so.

Venus Fly Traps and Stink Bugs: The Verdict

Venus Fly Traps are carnivorous, and Venus Fly Traps DO eat Stink Bugs.  However, they don’t feed more than once every other week or so, and probably won’t put a huge dent in your stink bug infestation.

They will be on your side in the war on stink bugs, however, and every little bit counts!

So, if you’d like to employ another soldier in the war on stink bugs, and enjoy seeing nature at work, by all means, get yourself a Venus Fly Trap and watch it munch on your enemy, the Stink Bug!

Learn how to fight stink bugs naturally!