Pillbugs / Roly Polies

[jana]

Are pillbugs bad or good? I was putting up vertical supports for my climbing veggies and noticed a TON of roly polies around and in my planters. Should I be concerned?

[Mel-icious]

Here I don't have a problem with them, but since your in Texas, not good. I read they infest plants and eat young seedlings. People have a difference of opinion on what to do. Some say to use Seven { a pesticide} some say to loosely roll up a damp newspaper and tie it with string, placing it where bugs camp, during the night they crawl inside,in the mornings dispose of them and the newspaper. Some people even use toads or chickens that eat them to control them. You might want to search an organic method of removing them since your finding them in your veggie beds.

http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INSECTS/pill_bugs_sow_bugs_centipedes.htm

http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg377.html

[jana]

Ruh roh. That's just my luck! *sigh* Thanks, M! I'll try the newspaper thing and then look into some other methods if that doesn't work.

[Deana]

I've also heard to put a saucer of beer out in your garden, the bugs will ingest it and die. We had problems with *something* eating holes in our cannas last year and the beer trick worked ;)

Jana, if you are interested in chemical-free gardening there is a place in SW Austin called 'The Natural Gardener'. It's near the 'Y' in Oak Hill. They have wonderful natural solutions for pests and weeds, and I bet they would be helpful over the phone. Here's the website http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/

[jana]

Oooh, thanks, Deana! All we have in the fridge is 1 pear cider, but it's for the bugs now!

Oh, yeah! The Natural Gardener! I've heard their radio show on 590 on the weekends, but I've never been down to the store. I'm sure they'll be helpful if I call...that's a great idea!

I just checked their website, and found this:

"PILLBUGS or SOWBUGS: (a.k.a. "Roly-Polies")
1. Sprinkle a somewhat granular product called "Cedarcide" over the top of your mulch.
2. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the area."

Ha! Maybe I should continue with that cayenne pepper after all!

[jana]

Somebody asked about pillbugs on John's show this morning, and he said that baits tend to work the best. He suggested an overturned grapefruit half or some lettuce leaves.

The pear cider attracted lots of flying bugs and the teeny tiny baby pillbugs, but the bigger ones were too smart.