Rollie Pollie- Pill Bugs
gussy
20 years ago
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MeMyselfAndI
19 years agonitaomaha
19 years agoRelated Discussions
Pill / Rolly Polly / Potato Bugs
Comments (3)I have a ton of them that hang out in cool, moist places near my rose bed. While they tend to give me the creeps a bit, I haven't found that they have done any harm so I leave them be. As Karl mentioned, I think they primarily feast on dead or decaying plant material....See MoreSow bugs/Pill bugs/"rollie-pollies"/wretched insects from hell
Comments (23)These do eat plants when their numbers are high. They do. There should be no debating this. If anyone doesn't believe it, they haven't had an infestation of pill bugs and don't really have the experience to help someone regarding. I cannot grow legume or peas without killing these bugs in the area or they will take down every one of the healthy seedlings. I drench the soil in the area with liquid spinosad. Once the plant is established, it's good. I gotta eat, too. I read somewhere that pill bugs remove metals and is likely to remove some toxins in the soil. I'm still trying to figure why I have so many and what purpose they are serving beyond the normal "eat decaying matter"....See MoreDo rollie pollie bugs eat tomatoes?
Comments (8)The experts on the soil forum mostly say that pill bugs eat damaged, decaying organic matter. They will only eat living healthy plants if there is not enough decaying organic mater in the soil. I believe this is true. Another bug, possibly slugs, are most likely the culprits doing the damage. Then, after the damage is done, the pill bugs come in and eat that damaged tissue. I've read that they even eat the slug slime. Have you gone out with a flashlight at night and checked for slugs? You might want to try that and also set slug traps (a flat board on wet soil overnight, or a dish or beer sunk into the ground). Then check your trap first thing early in the morning for slugs. BTW, iron phosphate products are wonder cures for slugs. I feed my pill bugs. I have millions of them and they never damage my plants. A few weeks ago I sifted and spread some finished compost. The pill bugs of course go right thru the 1/2 inch hardward cloth sieve. The sifted compost that was in the wheelbarrel was crawling with pill bugs. I spread that in my garden several weeks ago and they have not damaged a single plant. I suspect they're too busy eating the decaying matter which makes up the compost. We did get rain all day Friday, and those pill bugs love moisture, so they're probably happy in your garden, hiding from the sun under your plants. But I doubt they're the culprits doing the damage. Slugs love moisture, too. Like most soil and bug problems, a good solution is to feed your soil plenty of organic matter. The pill bugs will be too busy eating that to bother your plants. Karen...See MoreAmaranth Wilting - Pictures ???
Comments (2)Dear Wendy, Normally I would say it could be a gopher, but all my beds are lined with aviary wire because we have so many gophers and on some of the amaranth only one branch is wilting usually the gopher eats the whole root and the plant falls over. These plants still have their roots. I am wondering if there is something eating or sucking at the base of the stem - I noticed there are lots of ants and rollie pollie (pill) bugs at the base of the plant - I thought pill bugs didn't eat live plants but maybe I am wrong - I don't seee any aphids that the ants would be farming - I may need to put a cardboard collar around the plants to keep whatever is eating them away - with all this hot weather they are probably staying cool under my plants. Later today, I also noticed another variety of rudbeckia in another bed has two wilted stems on the outside of the plant - but the rest of the plant is fine. I am going to have to lay down on the ground and really look under the plants perhaps with a magnifying glass to see what is happening. Thanks, I will keep you posted. Linda...See Morechristie_sw_mo
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