What's eating my hen-and-chickens sundew?

Drosera prolifera is a tropical Queensland rainforest sundew that reproduces prolifically via plantlets on its leaf tips. Its year-round active growth in very humid conditions makes it susceptible to fungus gnat larvae in the wet media, and to aphids on flower scapes. Botrytis can strike the dense clump of plantlets if air circulation is poor.

Larvae feed on fine roots in the consistently wet, organic sphagnum substrate; roots of the parent plant and young plantlets are both vulnerable, causing slow decline Maintain very pure growing conditions using live or dried sphagnum and mineral-free rainwater or RO water only; apply Bti drench; yellow sticky traps capture breeding adults

Colonies on the non-sticky flower scapes and runners; distorted or stunted plantlets; white shed skins visible against the green stems Remove by hand or rinse carefully with mineral-free water; apply dilute neem oil spray to the scape and runners only, protecting glandular trapping leaves from contact

Gray fungal growth on the numerous plantlets or older outer leaves; spreads rapidly in the dense clump under high humidity and poor airflow Thin overcrowded plantlets; ensure air movement around the clump; remove affected tissue promptly; treat with Physan 20 solution if spread continues