Aug 30, 2009

Intrepid Flytraps

I don't think I've ever cheered for a plant before. Sure, I've admired them, eaten them, given them as gifts, and breathed their oxygen. But ever rooted for one? This is a first.

Those two tangles of legs belong to a pair of harvestmen. My world just got a bit brighter with the knowledge that somewhere out there are intrepid Venus flytraps who endeavor to keep me safe from my arachnid enemies. Maybe I'll plant these around my bed. Then I can sleep peacefully, knowing that the chances of a harvestman scrambling across my face while I sleep is next to nil.

Photo source: welcome hank

11 comments:

Denita TwoDragons said...

"Hey Fred, you got something in your teeth!"

Anonymous said...

I have a terrible phobia of daddy long legs (what southerners call harvestmen) after being forced to eat one as a child. (Closes eyes and screams silently at the memory.)

Rebekka Goldberg-Church said...

Ug, even just looking at their legs freaks me out. Team Flytrap!

Cat said...

YAY!! More carnivorous plants!! Keep it up, they're great!

niner said...

That is such an awesome photo. I needed a huge one of these in my old apartment because there was a nest of longlegs somewhere on the ground level and they were constantly COVERING the doors and walls (the landlord never wanted to do anything about it). I had to keep a broom by the front door; every morning when I opened it to go to work, I had to get the broom and fling off 20 or so before they ran inside! UGH!

The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls said...

My grandfather used to raise these in his basement. I think they kept his fruit fly farm population in check!

Rob Reeves said...

I bought two of these for my boys and they've given us loads of enjoyment. I always feel a little like Caesar when I condemn some poor, irritating fly to death by carnivorous plant.

Raging Wombat said...

It's your right to play emperor in your own house, Rob. Well done. The flytraps are to you what the lions were to the Romans.

Yusoff Hashim said...

You don't have to be afraid of harvestmens. They are scavengers and scientifically proven venom-less and fangs are too tiny and weak to break human's skin, makes mosquitoes are the real monsters... :)

I used to have potted venus flytrap but lived not long enough to survive the hot and humid of my place..

Anonymous said...

I actually don't think they have "fangs" at all—at least not like we think og fangs with spiders.

I'm actually team harvestman. They're really harmless and don't deserve to be slowly digested—unlike their spider cousins, who I'd say is payback.

Don't forget: These aren't cellar spiders, which look very similar, are actually spiders that live in webs, and are often referred to as daddy-long-legs too. They're also pretty harmless, but I'm less sympathetic to them. However, I loathe spiders just as much as the next guy, but I actually leave these guys alone when they're in the corners of the ceiling; I only resort to killing them if they happen to wander on my bed—that's a no-no!I actually don't think they have "fangs" at all—at least not like we think og fangs with spiders.

I'm actually team harvestman. They're really harmless and don't deserve to be slowly digested—unlike their spider cousins, who I'd say is payback.

Don't forget: These aren't cellar spiders, which look very similar, are actually spiders that live in webs, and are often referred to as daddy-long-legs too. They're also pretty harmless, but I'm less sympathetic to them. However, I loathe spiders just as much as the next guy, but I actually leave these guys alone when they're in the corners of the ceiling; I only resort to killing them if they happen to wander on my bed—that's a no-no!

Anonymous said...

I actually don't think they have "fangs" at all—at least not like we think of fangs with spiders.

I'm actually team-harvestman. They're really harmless and don't deserve to be slowly digested—unlike their spider cousins, who I'd say is payback.

Don't forget: These aren't cellar spiders, which look very similar, are actual spiders that live in webs, and are often referred to as daddy-long-legs too. They're also pretty harmless, but I'm less sympathetic to them. However, I loathe spiders just as much as the next guy, but I actually leave these guys alone too when they're in the corners of my ceiling; I only resort to killing them if they happen to wander on my bed—that's a no-no!