Pill bugs in the Garden?

tryno12 · August 27, 2019

Are a lot of pill bugs in the garden ok?

I have a raised bed and have a ton of them - if a fruit drops there are a hundred "babies" under them even in the daytime.
Pete

jtjmartin · August 27, 2019

I always keep my raised bed covered in mulch so I typically have a lot of pill bugs. The only problem I seem to have with them are with tender seedlings like peas. My solution - sow the peas fairly close together - let some be damaged - thin them out once the plants are big enough where the pill bugs don't bother them.

If I did a ton of direct sowing my response may be different. The vast majority of my plants are transplanted at a size where the pill bug damage is minimal to none.

OTOH, I have thousands of little pill bugs working for me free of charge converting plant wastes into great soil. Love them for that!

Hensaplenty · August 27, 2019

I also use mulch (wood chips) as a cover. (No till) Thankful that the pill bugs break down the organic material, but like jtjmartin, the pill bugs will sometimes chew off my seedlings. What works for me is to spread back the wood chips back until I get to dirt. Plant my seeds. When seedlings are several inches high return the mulch back around the plants. Pill bugs don't bother my seedlings if the wood chips are spread out several inches from the seedlings.
I used to collect those pill bugs (outside the garden) by placing a wooden board on the ground. Just like your fallen fruit, the bugs collect under the board. Lift board quickly and gently scrap in to a bucket, and then take them to the CHICKENS! :-)

bower · August 28, 2019

We call them "carpenters" here, and I do have zillions of them because of being in the woods and plenty of sticks, boards and other habitat. They will congregate under anything, including row cover. And they have done some nasty damage to little seedlings when at their worst.

All the same I mostly ignore them. If they get under my row cover, the solution is to take it off, give it air and light.

Trapping works well too - and too easy. Just lay down a board, they'll be under it in droves.

tryno12 · August 29, 2019

thanks all, they did eat the seedlings but as you all have said pretty much a bit beneficial if anything - i'll ignore and leave them alone.
Pete

clkeiper · August 29, 2019

They will eat anything..... good or debris. In the early spring they do more damage than summer to plants. I have had them eat off entire new crops in the greenhouse. I frequently will put an insecticide around a desired seedling.. Now is when they are cleaning up the garden debris. I leave them be at this point.

arnorrian · August 29, 2019

Still find it amazing that pill bugs are crustaceans.

Worth1 · August 30, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnorrian

Still find it amazing that pill bugs are crustaceans.

Ancestors millions of years old too.

arnorrian · August 30, 2019

Aren't everyone's?

SQWIBB · August 30, 2019

They're so big in my garden that they have been eating the cats.

Hensaplenty · August 30, 2019

Good one, SQWIBB!

imp · August 30, 2019

You are gonna need bigger boards for those to hide under, SQWIBB !

jtjmartin · August 30, 2019

That one could eat Hensaplenty's hens!

What is that?

SQWIBB · August 30, 2019

It's a giant isopod.
I have been growing them.
I opened a restaurant and sell them as lobster.

Worth1 · August 30, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtjmartin

That one could eat Hensaplenty's hens!

What is that?

Bathynomus giganteus

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...kdREejOrumUzB6

August 27, 2019	#1
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 853	Pill bugs in the Garden? Are a lot of pill bugs in the garden ok? I have a raised bed and have a ton of them - if a fruit drops there are a hundred "babies" under them even in the daytime. Pete

August 29, 2019	#6
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	They will eat anything..... good or debris. In the early spring they do more damage than summer to plants. I have had them eat off entire new crops in the greenhouse. I frequently will put an insecticide around a desired seedling.. Now is when they are cleaning up the garden debris. I leave them be at this point. __________________ carolyn k

August 30, 2019	#12
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	You are gonna need bigger boards for those to hide under, SQWIBB ! __________________ I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing.

August 27, 2019	#2
jtjmartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b Posts: 1,110	I always keep my raised bed covered in mulch so I typically have a lot of pill bugs. The only problem I seem to have with them are with tender seedlings like peas. My solution - sow the peas fairly close together - let some be damaged - thin them out once the plants are big enough where the pill bugs don't bother them. If I did a ton of direct sowing my response may be different. The vast majority of my plants are transplanted at a size where the pill bug damage is minimal to none. OTOH, I have thousands of little pill bugs working for me free of charge converting plant wastes into great soil. Love them for that!

August 27, 2019	#3
Hensaplenty Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 120	I also use mulch (wood chips) as a cover. (No till) Thankful that the pill bugs break down the organic material, but like jtjmartin, the pill bugs will sometimes chew off my seedlings. What works for me is to spread back the wood chips back until I get to dirt. Plant my seeds. When seedlings are several inches high return the mulch back around the plants. Pill bugs don't bother my seedlings if the wood chips are spread out several inches from the seedlings. I used to collect those pill bugs (outside the garden) by placing a wooden board on the ground. Just like your fallen fruit, the bugs collect under the board. Lift board quickly and gently scrap in to a bucket, and then take them to the CHICKENS! :-)

August 28, 2019	#4
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	We call them "carpenters" here, and I do have zillions of them because of being in the woods and plenty of sticks, boards and other habitat. They will congregate under anything, including row cover. And they have done some nasty damage to little seedlings when at their worst. All the same I mostly ignore them. If they get under my row cover, the solution is to take it off, give it air and light. Trapping works well too - and too easy. Just lay down a board, they'll be under it in droves.

August 29, 2019	#7
arnorrian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2019 Location: Serbia Posts: 199	Still find it amazing that pill bugs are crustaceans.

August 30, 2019	#10
SQWIBB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Philly 7A Posts: 739	They're so big in my garden that they have been eating the cats.