What's eating my sawtooth venus flytrap?

Sawtooth Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula 'Sawtooth') is an indoor carnivore that catches its own prey but is still vulnerable to pests. Spider mites are the top threat, especially in winter dry air. Fungus gnats breed in wet sphagnum and rot the rhizome; aphids occasionally cluster on flower stalks.

Tiny yellow or grey stippling on trap lobes and leaves; fine webbing at the crown; traps fail to close properly Submerge the whole pot in distilled water for 48 hours (repeat weekly for 3 weeks); raise ambient humidity; apply neem oil or insecticidal soap at the crown if submersion alone fails

Larvae chew rhizome and root tissue in soggy sphagnum; plant blackens at the base and collapses Drench substrate with BTi solution; top-dress with a thin layer of pure quartz sand to deter egg-laying; allow tray water to dry briefly between refills

Soft-bodied clusters on flower stalks and new growth cause distorted leaves and sticky honeydew Dab with isopropyl alcohol swab or pinch off the flower stalk (recommended anyway to conserve plant energy); rinse crown with distilled water