Carnivorous plants as a potential monitoring tool for Bradysia difformis in greenhouse systems

Abstract: Black fungus gnats (Bradysia difformis) are economically important pests in
greenhouse production systems, where early detection is essential for integrated pest
management. Conventional monitoring relies on yellow sticky traps, which are effective but
require continuous replacement and primarily exploit visual cues. This study investigates
carnivorous plants as a biologically based alternative monitoring approach. Laboratory choice
experiments revealed a significant preference of adult fungus gnats for Pinguicula, particularly the green-leaved cultivar ‘Tina’, compared to Drosera capensis. These findings indicate that carnivorous plants may serve as complementary monitoring tools by combining visual and potentially olfactory cues.