Like last year, lovebugs were again everywhere in late summer (around September) this year. They're especially attracted to white or light colored objects, and they're kind of clumsy, so they easily fall into S. leucophylla's maw. The only problem is that they kill the pitcher...
According to ThoughtCo.com, adult lovebugs emerge twice a year, once in spring and once in late summer, to mate. The late summer mating season, which occurs around August and September, coincides with the late season crop of robust S. leucophylla pitchers. As a result, hordes of lovebugs fall into S. lecuophylla's pitchers. According to the same ThoughtCo article, the lovebugs become acidic after dying. I surmise that this is the reason for their killing the pitcher. Pitchers usually don't die because of a massive quantity of prey, but a large lovebug meal seems to guarantee the dying of a pitcher.
I think the lovebugs' habitat range increased over the past several years. I don't remember lovebugs killing pitchers any other year other than in 2018 and 2019 even though I've had S. leucophylla since before 2018.
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AuthorRising college student who enjoys growing carnivorous plants. Archives
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