Rolly Polly Bugs

WildLife · August 7, 2009

A first for me, finally discovered what has been making holes
in my sprawling tomatoes.
Rolly Polly bugs?
I am losing 50% of nice Toms.

How do I lesson the problem?

dice · August 7, 2009

I have seen them chew on foliage when they were inadvertently
brought inside where seedlings were sprouting, but they usually
prefer dead, decaying organic matter (dead leaves, dead grass,
etc). I have not seen them eating ripening fruit. Maybe you have
something else (like earwigs) chewing on the fruit first and the
Rolly-Pollys are just following up on already damaged fruit.

A small bowl of wilting lettuce at the base of each plant might
attract the Rolly-Pollys (also called pill bugs). There are a few
designs on the WWW for earwig traps. You could try a salad
bowl by a plant with a half-inch or so of vegetable oil in the
bottom, check it in a few days, and see if it is full of earwigs
(they drown in the oil).

WildLife · August 7, 2009

I was stumped about what was eating the fruit.
I just happen to pull a turning Tom up for a look and there were 5
Pill bugs 1/2 inch inside the fruit chomping away.
I was shocked, I use to play with them as a kid and never heard they
were a pest. I will try to get a pic next time.

matereater · August 8, 2009

Do you use any type of mulch around your toms? Maybe try a layer of straw as a 'buffer' area between the ground and your toms.

Blueaussi · August 8, 2009

It is my understanding that while rolly pollies usually only eat decaying plant tissue, if there is a dense population, they will eat live soft plant tissue. Some years ago I heavily mulched around some impatiens with soiled aspen bedding from pocket pet cages. The rolly pollies loved it! I started losing impatiens, though, and noticed the base of the stalk looked chewed. I took one to my extension agent, and he told me it was the rolly pollies.

The birds thought it was a rolly polly smorgasbord! Great bird watching, but my impatiens took a beating.

dice · August 8, 2009

I had some (Rolly Polly bugs) chewing off the growing tips of
seedlings this spring.

Pretty good description, with suggested controls:
http://www.aos.org/AM/Template.cfm?S...entDisplay.cfm

TZ-OH6 · August 9, 2009

Ortho makes a snail bait, Bug-Getta, and an imporved verson, Bug-Getta Plus, the latter has Carbaryl (Sevin) in the bait, which kills Pill Bugs and other athropods attracted to the bait such as earwigs and millipedes. If you hide the baits under boardes etc birds/pets cannot get at them or the dead bugs.

WildLife · August 9, 2009

I used grass clippings as mulch.
I read that diatomaceous earth will help.
Spread some yesterday and will cross my fingers.

BigdaddyJ · August 9, 2009

Monterey Sluggo works and is safe to use. It's OMRI approved. Pill Bugs are one of the many reasons I cage rather than sprawl.

August 7, 2009	#1
WildLife Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, Calif Posts: 144	Rolly Polly Bugs A first for me, finally discovered what has been making holes in my sprawling tomatoes. Rolly Polly bugs? I am losing 50% of nice Toms. How do I lesson the problem?

August 7, 2009	#2
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I have seen them chew on foliage when they were inadvertently brought inside where seedlings were sprouting, but they usually prefer dead, decaying organic matter (dead leaves, dead grass, etc). I have not seen them eating ripening fruit. Maybe you have something else (like earwigs) chewing on the fruit first and the Rolly-Pollys are just following up on already damaged fruit. A small bowl of wilting lettuce at the base of each plant might attract the Rolly-Pollys (also called pill bugs). There are a few designs on the WWW for earwig traps. You could try a salad bowl by a plant with a half-inch or so of vegetable oil in the bottom, check it in a few days, and see if it is full of earwigs (they drown in the oil). __________________ -- alias

August 8, 2009	#4
matereater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia) Posts: 1,264	Do you use any type of mulch around your toms? Maybe try a layer of straw as a 'buffer' area between the ground and your toms. __________________ Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

August 8, 2009	#6
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I had some (Rolly Polly bugs) chewing off the growing tips of seedlings this spring. Pretty good description, with suggested controls: http://www.aos.org/AM/Template.cfm?S...entDisplay.cfm __________________ -- alias

August 9, 2009	#9
BigdaddyJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zone7 Delaware Posts: 399	Monterey Sluggo works and is safe to use. It's OMRI approved. Pill Bugs are one of the many reasons I cage rather than sprawl. __________________ Farmer at Heart

August 8, 2009	#5
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	It is my understanding that while rolly pollies usually only eat decaying plant tissue, if there is a dense population, they will eat live soft plant tissue. Some years ago I heavily mulched around some impatiens with soiled aspen bedding from pocket pet cages. The rolly pollies loved it! I started losing impatiens, though, and noticed the base of the stalk looked chewed. I took one to my extension agent, and he told me it was the rolly pollies. The birds thought it was a rolly polly smorgasbord! Great bird watching, but my impatiens took a beating.

August 9, 2009	#7
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 847	Ortho makes a snail bait, Bug-Getta, and an imporved verson, Bug-Getta Plus, the latter has Carbaryl (Sevin) in the bait, which kills Pill Bugs and other athropods attracted to the bait such as earwigs and millipedes. If you hide the baits under boardes etc birds/pets cannot get at them or the dead bugs.