Pill Bugs
Common Name
Scientific Name
Pillbugs
Armadillidium vulgare
Identification:
These crustaceans are actually not insects they are arthropods, meaning they have a segmented body connected by pairs. They are brownish to slate gray in color, measuring as adults up to 3/4 of an inch. Their body segments look like armor, giving them the look of an armadillo. They have one set of eyes, seven sets of legs, and two set of antennae. These creatures have the ability to roll up into a tight ball when disturbed, where they got the nick name "roly-pollie."
Biology:
Pillbugs mate throughout the year, but mostly in the spring, in one year they can mate up to 3 times producing 7 to 200 young. The eggs are deposited and held in the mothers pouch located on her underside. It takes about 45 days for the eggs to develop, hatch, and the young to emerge from the pouch. The young Pillbugs are white in color and molt within 1 to 2 days to create their hard shell exterior, and continue to molt every 1 to 3 weeks thereafter, reaching adulthood in 20 weeks. These Pillbugs can live up to 3 years depending on weather conditions.
Habits:
Pillbugs live outdoors, feeding on decaying organic matter and occasionally young plants and their roots. They may become pests in and around homes where flower bed mulches, grass clippings, leaf litter, rotting boards, trash, rocks and pet droppings are present. Adequate moisture is essential for their survival, and they group in masses to reduce water loss. On a hot day, they remain under objects on the damp ground and are active only at night due to lower temperatures and more humid conditions. They become inactive during the winter months except in heated buildings such as greenhouses.
