Our very established and healthy grape vines share a raised bed with a variety of roses, spring and summer flowering bulbs and various "uninvited" plants which all co-exist well. Unfortunately the area is infested with little woodlice sized bugs which look like mini armadilloes in that they curl up when touched. They hide under rocks and in areas of dense plant growth. My guess is that they eat dead and dying vegetation but they also eat rose and other leaves. How do I get rid of them without using chemicals which would harm beneficial beasties?
Hello Margaret, I guess what you have are sow bugs or pill bugs. I have tons of them in my damp back yard. They are great composters and really don't seem to consume a lot of living plants. They need to be in moist envionments, so keeping your garden dry would help. They are not insects, they are terrestrial crustaceans. There is some other good control info on the web. Do a search for "sow bug". Here is a link to an entertaining article about them: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_8_20/ai_55248816
Yes, they fit the description of sow beautifully. They are certainly very interesting little beasties and, as with lots of "unknowns", they don't bother me nearly as much now I know what they are. I have been quite successful in reducing the damage they were doing to my living plants by placing our lab's shed hair around the base of their favourite snacking stations. Many thanks. I found the web page very informative. Margaret
