What do rollie pollies look like

Rollie pollies are most active at night. They occasionally enter buildings and homes via door thresholds. The eggs develop and hatch in about 45 days. After this period, the young pillbugs emerge from the pouch. On average, there are about 28 pill bugs in each brood. Young pillbugs molt twice within the first weeks of their life.

After that, they molt irregularly depending on the availability of food and other resources. The lifespan of a pillbug is about 2 years. Pill bugs do not bite or spread disease. However, the pill bug is considered a nuisance pest indoors. They may cause damage to young plants outdoors. With the holiday season upon us, the National Pest Management Association NPMA is educating homeowners about certain insects that can infest and contaminate food in pantries. Pantry pests like Indian meal moths and merchant grain beetles can become difficult to control once they get inside.

If you are, however, not one of those people, then you can view them as pests to some extent. The main reason for this is that, although rolly pollies typically feed on decaying matter, come winter time when their food runs out, they can turn on the roots of your plants.

If you are a farmer, this is not something you want hanging around your property. Anything that can turn plant roots into a meal is bad for business. Additionally, rolly pollies will easily snack on vegetables and fruits growing in your garden. Avid gardeners do not take this sort of thing lightly, especially when they begin to destroy entire orchards just to survive.

That being said, rolly pollies can also be a major ally when it comes to managing stink bugs. These bugs tend to damage plants by feeding on their juices both internally and externally. Rolly pollies, on the other hand, feed on stink bug eggs thus keeping their population down and saving your plants in the long run. Rolly pollies also take dead matter and decompose it thus providing invaluable nutrients to the soil around their habitats.

In reality, rolly pollies do more good than they do harm. But, as we mentioned, it is all a matter of perspective. Are you willing to let these critters roam freely on your land decomposing dead matter or do you think the fact that they could eat plant roots is a deal breaker? We have already covered the fact that they are not exactly insects and that they may or may not be harmful to your property depending on the hunger situation. Here are some other facts that you may find interesting about rolly pollies:.

To most people, this will not make sense because creatures that breathe through gills live under water. The problem here is that although pill bugs do breathe through gills, they will actually drown when submerged in water. As crustaceans, they survive best in moist environments where they can suck the moisture from their surroundings to stay alive. Rolly pollies will turn a bright blue color when sick. If you see a lot of these critters turning blue in your garden, it is often an indication that something is going around.

Those develop into brood pouches for young isopods after mating. How do pill bugs give birth? Mothers Carry Their Eggs in a Pouch Overlapping thoracic plates form a special pouch, called a marsupium, on the pill bug's underside.

Upon hatching, the tiny juvenile pill bugs remain in the pouch for several days before leaving to explore the world on their own.

What are Rolly Pollies attracted to? Rolly-pollies, also known as pill bugs, are small purplish-gray creatures that roll into a ball when they feel threatened.

They are crustaceans, more closely related to lobsters and crabs than to insects. They are attracted to decaying vegetable matter, such as food in your trash and even the mulch around your home. Do Rolly Pollies eat bananas? Pills bugs are not actually bugs. They are crustaceans, members of the same family as lobsters and crabs. They breathe through gills. They live in dark, moist areas and eat decaying material such as dried leaves, tea bags and banana peels.

What will kill Rollie Pollies? Dry baits containing food mixed with pesticides such as spinosad poison the roly-polys that eat it and provide more effective control. Pill bugs do not spread diseases or contaminate food. Kids and their parents can find more facts and information on pill bugs.

To learn how to get rid of pill bugs and prevent infestations, visit the official NPMA website. Pill Bugs Did you know?