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do pill bugs eat seedlings?

18 years ago

I just planted out some asters and salvias and found many of the leaves eaten up. I went out tonight with a flash light and found tons of what I call pill bugs all around each plant. Do they eat the baby plants? Will the ammonia spray recommended for slugs kill them? Will the ammonia hurt the seedlings?

Here I was so excited about planting out and now they are disappearing.

Thanks for any help,

Pam

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Comment (1)

morz8 - Washington Coast
18 years ago
Yes, they do eat seedlings, and No, ammonia doesn't kill them.

Try diatomaceous earth, or the environmentally safe slug bait Sluggo now makes Sluggo Plus with sowbug/pillbug and earwig control added. You can also find regular poison bait for them if so inclined, look for the picture of pillbugs on the container...might be Lily Miller Cutworm, Sowbug, Earwig bait? I had some years ago but not now...I took out the little 1" groundcovering spreading sedum I was thinking made nice filler between plants - that was making sowbug habitat, problem ended with the sedum gone.
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