diagnostics, please?

[bogdan]

I have a little (I hope) problem with a recently acquired Dionea. Namel the brown/black areas on the traps and leaves ..as seen in the picture

and recently i`ve observed that the traps don`t appear to function anymore

big picture

close-up

if someone has an idea of what this is and how to "cure" it

[PurplePitchers]

Older traps will die back naturally, just remove any dead traps. The plant does look like it could do with some more light though.

[zeeland]

Older traps will die back naturally, just remove any dead traps. The plant does look like it could do with some more light though.

Same thoughts

[bogdan]

Well i also thought that i should just remove old decaying traps , but the problem is that a new leaf with the trap still undeveloped was affected and also none of the remaining , apparently healthy traps trigger.

Some week ago the plant did gorge herself with tinny flies, nearly all the traps were sealed when i returned after a week long absence. But i don`t think that was harmful.

[PurplePitchers]

Are you keeping the plant standing in rainwater? The saucer appears to be dry in the pic.

[bogdan]

the saucer is dry as i`ve just removed it from a half inch deep distiled water tray, were she sat for 2 weeks, going to put her back to top watering.

[FlytrapRanch]

Don't worry too much. Many times an individual leaf, even a new one the trap of which has not opened yet, will turn brown for some reason. Often it's sunburn, and occasionally it's a fungal infection if the Flytrap is in conditions of mostly static air (indoors) and is too wet for too long. In the case of your plant, it looks like a bit of sunburn to me, although that's just a guess because I have no idea what conditions your plant has been experiencing.

Regarding traps that no longer function, that is extremely common and normal for older leaves and traps, which have a limited lifetime of closings and openings, although the green leaf continues to provide food for the plant through photosynthesis.

Two other reasons why a trap would not be funtional are salt burn (too high a concentration of mineral salts in the water or growing medium) or from the trigger hairs drying too much, as might be possible on a very warm, sunny day with very low humidity and a fairly strong, dry breeze.

All of these things, with the exception of possible fungal infection, are nothing to worry about. The new emerging growth and its appearance and health is much more important than that of the older leaves. To avoid fungal infection, try to grow the Flytrap "moist, not wet all the time" if you can. Venus Flytraps prefer airy, well-drained soil. They do not prefer soggy conditions in general.

Edited August 16, 2011 by xscd