What to Feed Your Fly Trap Plant (and What to Avoid)?

If you've welcomed a fly trap plant (especially a Venus flytrap) into your home, you're probably fascinated by its unique, carnivorous appetite. Unlike ordinary houseplants, the Venus flytrap doesn't just sit pretty—it hunts. But what exactly should you feed it? And more importantly, what should you never feed it? In this guide, we'll answer all your feeding questions and ensure your fly trap plant thrives in your care. Feeding a fly trap plant is more than a novelty; it's a science-backed way to support its natural behaviors indoors, ensuring it thrives in environments where insects may be scarce. To learn how these plants interact with their prey, check out Fly Behavior.

Do Fly Trap Plants Need to Be Fed?

Yes—but not as often as you might think. In the wild, fly trap plants catch their own food, primarily small insects like flies, ants, and spiders. Indoors, they may need occasional help to meet their nutritional needs, especially if they don't have access to natural prey.

These plants have adapted to nutrient-poor soils by evolving the ability to digest insects. Without proper feeding, especially indoors, your flytrap may suffer from nutrient deficiency over time. But there's no need to worry: feeding is simple once you know the rules. If your indoor space lacks bugs, consider reading Indoor Flies Control to reduce infestations and supplement your flytrap's diet.

Key Point:

• If your flytrap is outdoors and catching bugs on its own, you don’t need to feed it.

• If it’s indoors, feeding your fly trap plant every 1-2 weeks is ideal.

Best Foods to Feed Your Fly Trap Plant

The goal is to replicate what it would eat in nature. That means live, or freshly killed, insects and arthropods. Your flytrap digests soft-bodied prey with ease, absorbing nutrients that would be otherwise unavailable through soil or water.

✅ Safe and Recommended Foods:

• Flies (houseflies, fruit flies)

• Ants

• Small spiders

• Mealworms (cut into appropriate sizes)

• Crickets (small ones only)

• Beetles (small and soft-bodied)

These insect types contain the proteins and minerals necessary to stimulate healthy trap growth and maintain the plant's energy reserves. For indoor growers, purchasing live or freeze-dried bugs from pet stores can be a convenient solution. For more insights on fly diversity your plant might encounter, check out Types of Flies In North America.

Feeding Tips:

• Use tweezers to gently place the insect into an open trap.

• The prey should be about 1/3 the size of the trap.

• Triggers must be touched twice to close; gently stimulate after feeding.

• One trap per week is sufficient—don’t overfeed.

Proper feeding helps the plant maintain a strong rhythm of trap closure and reopening. Overfeeding, however, can weaken the plant and shorten trap life.

What NOT to Feed Your Fly Trap Plant

Not everything that moves is fair game. Some items can cause your plant to rot, weaken, or even die.

Feeding your flytrap inappropriate items will often result in incomplete digestion, mold, or trap death. Unlike pets or people, they don't have the systems to process protein-rich human food.

❌ Avoid These:

• Human food (meat, cheese, hamburger, etc.)

• Fertilizers or plant food (they absorb nutrients from prey, not soil)

• Dead bugs that have dried out

• Bugs too large for the trap

• Processed pet food (like fish flakes or dog kibble)

A general rule: if it doesn’t move on its own or naturally occur in a flytrap's environment, it probably shouldn’t go in the trap.

Can You Feed a Fly Trap Dead Bugs?

Yes—but with caution. Dead bugs can be used only if they are fresh and moist, and the trap is manually stimulated to close and seal. Triggers need movement to initiate digestion.

Feeding dead bugs can be useful in bug-scarce environments, but extra effort is required. A dead insect won’t trigger the trap naturally, so gentle mimicry is necessary to simulate prey movement.

How to Feed a Dead Bug:

1. Use soft tweezers to place the bug inside the trap.

2. Gently stimulate the trigger hairs 2-3 times.

3. Wait for the trap to close and seal.

This manual method encourages the plant to begin the secretion of digestive enzymes, even in the absence of movement. Learn more about this process in Do Fly Trap Plants Really Eat Flies?.

How Often Should You Feed Your Fly Trap?

Less is more. These plants are slow digesters and can survive weeks without food.

Overfeeding is a common mistake. Traps are energy-intensive to close and digest, so unnecessary feeding can reduce the number of active traps and shorten the plant’s lifespan.

• Indoor plants: 1 bug every 7-14 days.

• Outdoor plants: No feeding needed if insects are available.

• Never feed multiple traps at once; it drains energy.

If you observe your plant closing traps without digesting, or failing to reopen, it may be a sign of stress or overfeeding. For related issues, see 10 Reasons of having Fly Problem to prevent recurring insect surges indoors.

Seasonal Considerations

During dormancy (typically in winter), do not feed your fly trap plant at all. It will naturally shut down traps and conserve energy until spring.

Dormancy is a survival mechanism. The traps will blacken and fall off, and that’s completely normal. Feeding during this period will harm rather than help, as the plant cannot process food effectively.

Bonus Tips for Healthy Feeding

• Feed only healthy plants. Weak ones can be harmed by digestion.

• Provide bright light (ideally direct sunlight or grow lights).

• Use distilled or rainwater; tap water can kill your plant.

• Keep humidity moderate and soil moist, not soggy.

These supportive conditions enable the plant to efficiently digest prey and remain vibrant. Improper lighting or water quality can severely impair digestion. For propagation tips, visit Grow a Fly Trap Plant from Seeds.

Feeding your fly trap plant isn’t difficult, but it requires some care and patience. Stick to natural bugs, avoid overfeeding, and don’t fall for the temptation to drop in your lunch leftovers. When done right, your Venus flytrap will reward you with active, snapping traps and a unique, bug-eating performance that’s both natural and effective.

Understanding feeding patterns and respecting the plant's natural cycle are the keys to long-term success. Treat your flytrap less like a novelty and more like a living organism with very specific needs. To enhance your plant's environment, explore Best Indoor Fly Traps that work alongside your flytrap.

High Effective Option: Use a UV Fly Trap at Home

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I feed my fly trap plant dead flies?
Yes, if they’re fresh and you stimulate the trap hairs to trigger digestion. Dead flies that are too dry may not initiate the digestive process.

Q2: What happens if I feed it meat?
It can rot the trap and kill it. Stick to insects. Flytrap enzymes are not designed to digest mammalian tissue or processed food.

Q3: Do fly trap plants eat mosquitoes?
Yes, if they’re small enough and naturally enter the trap. Mosquitoes are valid prey and offer protein-rich meals.