Managing Pill Bugs: Are They Helping or Hurting Your Plants?
If you’ve ever spotted pill bugs (or roly-poly bugs) in your garden, you’ve probably asked yourself if they are helping or hurting your plants. The answer is nuanced, and that’s exactly what we’ll explore in this post. As a company dedicated to using beneficial insects to combat pests, we’ve learned that pill bugs occupy a unique space in the garden ecosystem. They can be great for your garden, but they can also become problematic depending on how they are managed.
The Pill Bug Identity
Pill bugs aren’t actually insects at all; they’re actually crustaceans! Specifically, they’re part of the Armadillidium vulgare family, one of the only crustaceans that has successfully adapted to life on land. They are distant cousins to crabs, shrimp, and lobsters, which explains their unique appearance compared to true garden insects. Their protective shell helps to hide their vulnerable underside, which becomes relevant when considering how to manage them naturally.
The Good News: What Pill Bugs Really Do
In moderate numbers, pill bugs are generally considered beneficial. Their primary food source is decaying organic matter such as dead leaves, decomposing wood, compost, and rotting plant material. If you have a compost pile, the nutrient cycling they facilitate is valuable to your garden’s overall health by improving soil structure and fertility improvements.
The Potential Problem: Exploded Populations
Pill bugs become problematic when their numbers become too many for the available dead plant material and must look elsewhere for food. This is when they start snacking on tender seedlings. The trick to protecting your garden is recognizing when you’ve crossed the line from “helpful decomposers” to “vegetable snackers.”
Biological Control: SC Nematode Attack
Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes are microscopic roundworms that parasitize soil-dwelling pests, including pill bug populations. The beauty of Sc Nematodes lies in their targeted approach in the moist soil, where pill bugs naturally live. Apply them to moist soil in moderate temperatures, and they’ll establish a population that will help provide ongoing control. We recommend seasonal applications – Early spring to target overwintering pill bugs, early summer to interrupt the first generation, mid-summer during peak activity, and in the fall to reduce next year’s problem.
Mechanical Control: Diatomaceous Earth
For those seeking a more immediate and direct approach, food-grade diatomaceous earth is a gold standard for pill bug management. Composed of the fossilized shells of diatoms, it works by damaging the exoskeleton and the soft underside of pill bugs. Sprinkle it around vulnerable plants to create a barrier. It’s people, pet, and planet safe, making it ideal for edible gardens and spaces where children or pets play.
Conclusion
Pill bugs need dark, damp places to thrive, so reducing habitat discourages large populations from establishing. Maintaining a separate compost area, removing unnecessary debris, and creating shelter around your growing beds can help keep your garden’s ecosystem in balance. Whether you choose one strategy or combine several, the goal is the same: maintaining enough pill bugs to enjoy their decomposition benefits while protecting your plants. With the right approach, you can have both, and that’s the kind of balanced gardening we’re passionate about.