Sow Bugs Treatment in Calgary

Sowbugs and pillbugs are soil pests related to crayfish and other crustaceans; they
are not insects. While technically two different species, pillbugs, Armadillium vulgare
(Latreille), and sowbugs, Porcellio laeyis (Koch), have few biological and environmental
differences and are therefore discussed together here. The most pronounced difference between
the two is that, when alarmed, pillbugs have the ability to roll up into a ball, while sowbugs
cannot and will try to seek shelter instead. Both organisms prefer damp, protected places such as
beneath flowerpots, boards, clods, and rocks and will die quickly if left in a warm, dry place.
They are nocturnal and-prefer the cool dampness of night to feed on rotting vegetation, manures,
and composts. When their populations build up to sufficient numbers, they may injure seedlings
by cutting roots and girdling young stems. Root feeding is a particular problem in greenhouses.
If another pest has injured a fruit, sowbugs and pilllbugs will enter to feed, but they will not
initially injure the fruit.

Symptoms Damage:

Cut roots and small stems, secondary invasion of damaged plant tissue.

When it is a problem:

All year round

Hosts:

Decaying vegetable matter; other living hosts, if pest population is high.

IPM Techniques:

Removal of hiding places, dusts and granular baits.