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Buglady... a question for you

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
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by gardengal on May 06, 2004 12:57 AM
What do rolly-pollies, or pill bugs, and pincher bugs do for the garden? I have a ton of pill bugs under my maple and lime tree and I am always finding icky pincher bugs everywhere. Will they hurt anything or are they okay? What purpose do they serve? [teacher] [thinker]

Oh, and I thought of you this past weekend. I was weeding in my front planter and I met the biggest spider I've ever seen in my yard (I ran into a tarantula once but that's a different story [Wink] ). He was probably as big as a half dollar and totally black except for a light spot on his bulbous bottom half, which looked quite furry. He was just cruising down my front walk so I put him back in the garden and named him Charlie. I figured a spider that big had to eat equally large things like big ol' flies and wasps, so he was a welcome addition. [thumb]

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Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
by weezie13 on May 06, 2004 04:55 AM
Kristen,
I have those in my compost....
They eat up the decomposing stuff!!

I didn't think they hurt anything...
But more beneficial!!
(At least in my compost)

but maybe buglady may say something else [teacher]

Maybe not so good for wood houses decaying??? [dunno]

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by rue anemone on May 06, 2004 05:02 AM
They are used in my garden by all the kids as fish food. My fish love them.

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by afgreyparrot on May 06, 2004 03:59 PM
Those rollie-pollie bugs (we call them B-B Bugs) make great children's pets. They are quiet, don't take up much space (a dixie cup), and won't eat you out of house and home. A four year old boy can carry them around in his pocket for days and not kill them. (Brennan even sleeps with his sometimes!)

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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by gardengal on May 06, 2004 10:20 PM
I use to have a rollie-pollie as a pet when I was a kid too. They are neat little bugs. My sister, the biologist, thinks they do the same type of job as an earth worm, aerating the soil, but I figured Suzanne the Buglady would know for sure.

But what do pincher bugs do? Other than suddenly show up on your leg and make you jump a mile?? [grin]

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Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
by afgreyparrot on May 06, 2004 11:07 PM
PINCH!!!
[Big Grin]

I actually don't know. (Believe it or not!!! [Big Grin] )
Better wait on the bug lady!
Sorry...just couldn't pass that opportunity up!!!

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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by gardengal on May 06, 2004 11:54 PM
OUCH!!! [shocked]

[Big Grin] [Big Grin] [Big Grin]

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Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
by afgreyparrot on May 07, 2004 01:41 AM
Where is our bug lady?????

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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by Buglady on May 08, 2004 06:31 AM
Sorry .. buglady was off working....

here you go.....
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Malacostraca
Order Isopoda
Family Armadillidiidae
Genus there are several

Roly-poly bug (AKA Pill bug or Sow bug) is an Isopod.. NOT an insect. They eat decaying plants and animals and some living plants. This means they can be a problem to some plant species but for the most part they are harmless...and are needed to break down decaying plant matter making it soil.

Hope this helps!!!!

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The Buglady
Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, www.bugladyconsulting.com
Educating the world... one bug at a time
by afgreyparrot on May 08, 2004 06:44 AM
What about the pincher bug? Is it good or bad?
(My parrot pinches me and she is good.)

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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by Buglady on May 08, 2004 06:52 AM
Do you mean earwigs?

Some eat plants, some dead leaf litter and some eat pest insects. I let them live in my garden and dont worry about them.

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The Buglady
Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, www.bugladyconsulting.com
Educating the world... one bug at a time
by afgreyparrot on May 08, 2004 07:02 AM
You are so cool!
Thank you for helping us so much.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by gardengal on June 02, 2004 05:53 PM
Thank you Buglady! I lost this post so I had to search for it again. Thanks for replying! [kissies]

As long as they aren't hurting my plants they can stay. [muggs]

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Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

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