The Carnivorous Ms. Judith Hindle

This is Judith. Judith Hindle. SHE is a Sarracenia, aka Pitcher plant and an amazing bit of divine engineering. I’ve looked at Venus Fly Traps with passing interest until it struck me that a carnivorous plant is JUST the thing to clear out those nasty little fruit flies and such that gather around my summer fruit bowls. Up until now, my cure was to put the hose on the vacuum and stand in the kitchen CHASING the flies with the hose. Need I say that this was LESS than dignified?! Although I did get some small pleasure thinking about those pesky flies meeting their maker in the form of Kirby’s little turbine from hell, it seemed so…..violent.

Several weeks ago, browsing the farmer’s market, I came across Judith. She looked tropical and lovely yet a little like something from Little Shop of Horrors. I set her in a pot with stones in the bottom and set it on the table near the baskets where I keep fruit and veggies. We occasionally hear buzzing coming from her cones though we don’t see anything actually happening. There are far fewer fruit flies and gnats. Very cool and much more attractive than hanging a fly strip in the middle of my kitchen.