What's eating my golden corkscrew plant?

Genlisea aurea is a tiny aquatic/semi-aquatic carnivorous plant grown in waterlogged conditions. Its main enemies are fungus gnats (larvae in the wet substrate) and algae competing for light and nutrients in the growing tray. Aphids may hit flower scapes. Standard carnivorous-plant hygiene — distilled water, no fertiliser — keeps most problems away.

Adults hover around the pot; larvae chew through delicate roots in the waterlogged substrate, causing collapse of the tiny rosette. Use yellow sticky traps to monitor adults. Replace the top layer of substrate with rinsed silica sand. Never let water sit stagnant — use a slow tray-flow method.

Green or blue-green algae coat the pot surface and substrate, competing for light and occasionally smothering young plantlets. Reduce direct sun on the water tray, use opaque pots, and periodically replace the distilled-water tray. Do not add fertiliser — it dramatically worsens algal growth.

Small colonies occasionally appear on the flower scapes, distorting blooms and leaving sticky honeydew. Dab affected scapes with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol. Remove heavily infested scapes entirely if the plant is not needed for seed.