What's eating my utricularia livida?

Utricularia livida is a terrestrial bladderwort grown indoors in wet, boggy conditions. It is generally robust but its constantly moist substrate invites fungus gnats. The plant's tiny bladder traps capture small soil organisms but offer no protection against root-disrupting larvae. Algae overgrowth and liverwort competition often stress the plant alongside pests.

Larvae graze on fine feeder roots and disrupt the shallow root mat; plants thin out or stall in growth Apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) solution to the growing medium; use yellow sticky traps; avoid excess organic matter in the mix

Clusters on flower scapes and emerging growth; honeydew and sooty mold on blooms Remove by hand or with a gentle water spray; insecticidal soap applied carefully to flower stems

Large populations can disturb the substrate and uproot stolons in small pots Reduce organic content in potting mix; allow the very surface to dry very briefly; populations self-limit in healthy carnivore setups