Help! Pill Bugs, rolly-pollys

keylimin · May 14, 2012

I have a serious problem with rolly-pollys this year (armadilla bugs, woodlouse, pillbug, by other names). They love to eat my small seedlings, and even crawl up and damage the new growth when the plants are bigger. I have a contact killer spray but I can't sit and watch for them all the time. Does anyone know of a pesticide I can apply to the ground that will prevent them for good?

Crandrew · May 14, 2012

Some say that the slug killers will help. Also you need to remove any mulch from around the plant sites. I have issues with them feasting on my strawberries, Filthy buggers!

BarbJ · May 14, 2012

I think Sluggo-plus will control them. Also, many regular snail-bait brands have dual products that control slugs/snails and other insects. Basically it's a bait with two poisons, one that kills slug/snails and one that gets insects.
They are closer to snails biology wise I think, but the 2-in-1 products may work better.

Be careful around kids and pets of course, even with Sluggo.

And the advice about the mulch is good too.

Tracydr · May 14, 2012

Sluggo plus. I have a huge problem, too.

keylimin · May 14, 2012

Thanks all. I just went and bought Ortho Geta Bug plus, which says it is for snails, slugs, and will also "get" pillbugs. It is in a nice granular form which I can control spread around the base of the plants these pests favor. Supposed to be rainproof, so I'll let you know how it works!

rsg2001 · May 17, 2012

I thought that pillbugs were actually a good bug, unless you have a ton of them?

Tracydr · May 17, 2012

Might be a good bug but the one's around here eat young bean seedlings and demolish any tomato within reach. I can't stand them.
We have so many they've actually clogged up the pool pump hose when we had a big rain storm that flooded the pool!

meatburner · May 18, 2012

Would diatomaceous earth be a possible fix? I am thinking it would have to be dry to work. Just a thought.

Crandrew · May 18, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsg2001

I thought that pillbugs were actually a good bug, unless you have a ton of them?

They are a good bug, in that they love my compost pile and help the worms break it down.

They are bad because they also LOVE to have HUGE dinner parties on my strawberries that have began to ripen.

May 18, 2012

meatburner, I think DE only works on soft bodied bugs- it works by piercing their skin with sharp crystals- pill bugs have "armor" !

meatburner · May 18, 2012

Jo, it was my understanding it works on any hard shelled bug as well. Fleas, ticks, ants, grasshoppers, etc. as well as slugs and snails. It collects in the crevices in their armor. I may be wrong but that is my understanding. Certainly open for any comments. Tks.
Keith

May 14, 2012	#1
keylimin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Outer Banks, NC Posts: 15	Help! Pill Bugs, rolly-pollys I have a serious problem with rolly-pollys this year (armadilla bugs, woodlouse, pillbug, by other names). They love to eat my small seedlings, and even crawl up and damage the new growth when the plants are bigger. I have a contact killer spray but I can't sit and watch for them all the time. Does anyone know of a pesticide I can apply to the ground that will prevent them for good?

May 18, 2012	#8
meatburner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 40	Would diatomaceous earth be a possible fix? I am thinking it would have to be dry to work. Just a thought. __________________ I may be schizophrenic, but I at least have each other.

May 18, 2012	#11
meatburner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 40	Jo, it was my understanding it works on any hard shelled bug as well. Fleas, ticks, ants, grasshoppers, etc. as well as slugs and snails. It collects in the crevices in their armor. I may be wrong but that is my understanding. Certainly open for any comments. Tks. Keith __________________ I may be schizophrenic, but I at least have each other.

May 14, 2012	#2
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	Some say that the slug killers will help. Also you need to remove any mulch from around the plant sites. I have issues with them feasting on my strawberries, Filthy buggers!

May 14, 2012	#3
BarbJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: California, USA Posts: 154	I think Sluggo-plus will control them. Also, many regular snail-bait brands have dual products that control slugs/snails and other insects. Basically it's a bait with two poisons, one that kills slug/snails and one that gets insects. They are closer to snails biology wise I think, but the 2-in-1 products may work better. Be careful around kids and pets of course, even with Sluggo. And the advice about the mulch is good too.

May 14, 2012	#4
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Sluggo plus. I have a huge problem, too.

May 17, 2012	#6
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	I thought that pillbugs were actually a good bug, unless you have a ton of them?

May 18, 2012	#10
JoParrott Guest Posts: n/a	meatburner, I think DE only works on soft bodied bugs- it works by piercing their skin with sharp crystals- pill bugs have "armor" !