Biodome

[zipcat]

Ok, so well, a friend gave me a venus fly trap. And to make things easy I've decided to attempt at making a biodome for it rather than have to catch flies and bring them inside and all that. But so far my idea sucks.

This is what I have;



I was thinking that having the water area below would keep things moist with evaporation but not overly so. There's a domed holly barrier above that to keep the soil up and it has holes in it throughout; more so in the middle. But in the water I was going to take some dried palm tree branches and make wood chips because of how porous the wood is. This would also help slow the evaporation just enough and promote other forms of growth.

On top of that is weak soil; seeing as fly traps get most of their other nutritional needs from the insects. To 'feed' it I had thought of fruit flies; because they're cheap and reproduce easily. To feed them and give them a place to live I had banana pieces in there.

But there's the problem. I'd have to change the banana every here and there which might let flies out, and flies reproduce too quickly.

Any ideas?

Oh, and I have cheap nylon (As it sucks as far as letting water out goes) stretched out under a (possibly holly) lid to help prevent leaks and keep the flies in incase I do put holes in the lid.

[Ominous]

For a second I feared this thread would be about a terrible Pauly Shore movie.

I think you should just put a zipper or door on the dome that you can open in the middle of the night. A zipper (with a flap made of nylon or another fabric) would be the best idea so you could both open it and add bananas, and pour water right through the fabric without letting anything out.

[Curulan]

I'm with Ominous. DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT!

[jadewik]

Speaking from experience, you can make a lot of flies really easy if you live with my two old roommates who never took out the trash. Two roommates and a couple egg shells in the trash... give it a week and *poof* maggots.

... and so you know how to tell if that little egg-trash biodome (mine, above) works out alright... it smells like cat piss and you get a TON of flies in your house.

... and for the record, I was hardly ever home. I was still in college taking 18 credits and working 35 hours a week. When I wasn't working, I was studying or trying to get over my Pneumonia... (and this is where I have finally linked the jerk-off who splashed me in September when it was raining to the cold I got that caused the Pneumonia... and raise my eyebrows... before moving on.) Back then, I came home to sleep and I didn't have time to clean up my roommates' messes before it was back to the grind.

I have the "best" roommate stories. I swear.

My life back then was like a soap opera... but I hope saying that doesn't get me kicked off the forum! Har! (long story...)

But anyway... if you want flies... egg shells work wonders.

I'd be careful with the venus fly trap. They don't need to eat very often and every time one of their "traps" closes, it really takes a lot out of the plant, so try to make sure that it catches something when it closes.

[zipcat]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they work like most touch sensitive plants and pretty much push all of the water on one side of the cells to the other side to bend closed quickly. If not I'll be looking that up today. It'd hopefully explain why they're only able to close three times per leaflet.

Egg shells and flies would probably work, actually, they're the right size while fruit flies are too small. But I've never worked with them. Do you know how often I'd have to change the egg shell if at all?


But I know how roommates can suck at times. I've been lucky with three of my last four. Though I can't wait to see if I get a nice one or not this time; I hope I don't get one of the 'bad' ones. Sorry yours were so dirty though..


Oh! I was thinking of putting in two layers of nylon at the top. Then I could give each one cut like an X and it'd be easier than a zipper. It'll keep more in when I add whatever. Still I'd rather get away from having to put in food somehow, too. But I'm not that picky.


___________________

Ok, so, I have a coconut. Think that might work better than egg shells as far as how long it'll last goes? Would the flies still be able to put their larva in it?

[Ominous]

I'm sure they would. They're flies, after all. Just cut it in half and leave the milk in the cavities, and SOMETHING'll happen. Though it might create an awful smell, you never know.

[zipcat]

Yeah, haha, you're probably right. Ok, I have it out there now, along with a dirty egg shell just incase that doesn't work.

[Sorrontis]

my answer, consult your nearby biology or environmental/biological engineering professor at a university. They've (although not this subject) have gotten me out of a pinch many times before. Most tend to answer within a week, as long as you are polite and explain in full.

[jadewik]

... consult your nearby ... biological engineering professor at a university.

That would be silly... my little sister is a bio engineering senior, and I'm fairly certain bio-engineering is more along the lines putting things in people to replace failed body parts or failing biological systems.

I think you mean biology professor.

[zipcat]

Yeah. I'm great friends with a few biologists, but they haven't been on MSN. so if I get the chance I'll certainty bright it up.

I'll probably end up emailing my high school teacher.