The Day a Wasp Stole Dinner From My Sarracenia

Published on 07.09.2025

I was outside, pots everywhere, casually cleaning up after a round of Venus flytrap repotting. Coffee in hand, I leaned back for a well-deserved break… and that’s when I noticed her: a single wasp zig-zagging over the greenhouse table like a tiny helicopter on a secret mission.

I Expected a Rescue Mission

Sarracenia pitchers were full of yesterday’s unlucky flies. One lip shimmered in the sun, holding a fresh victim halfway down. I thought, “Here we go — classic wasp, about to land, slip, and become dessert.”

Wasps have jaws sharp enough to nibble themselves free if they get stuck, but usually they’re toast once they fall in. I braced for a splash, waiting for the panic buzz inside the tube.

Nope. She Came to Rob the Bank

Instead of fighting for her life, the wasp strode right in like she owned the place. She inspected the rim, leaned in, and then — no joke—snatched the dead fly from the pitcher’s mouthpiece like a seasoned thief. No flailing. No panic. Just a quick bite, pull, and take-off.

My poor Sarracenia had spent days luring that fly. Perfect nectar, slippery lip, all that effort — and this winged burglar simply stole the entrée.

Takeaway From the Heist

That moment reminded me how these ecosystems are never static. Carnivorous plants aren’t always the top predator; sometimes they’re just running a very rob-able cafeteria.

And honestly? It was the comic relief I needed after hours of peat under my nails gardening. Somewhere, that wasp is bragging about the easiest buffet run of her life.

Stay snappy (and keep an eye on your Sarracenia),
Peter