Millipedes, Garden Centipedes, Sowbugs & Roly-Polys
Garden centipedes, millipedes, sow bugs, and pill bugs or roly-polys, are unusual arthropods. Sow bugs and pill bugs are actually crustaceans related to shrimp, crabs, and lobsters. While some may wonder, "are centipedes good for the garden?" it's important to note that house centipedes primarily hunt pests rather than harm plants.
None of these pests transmit diseases to plants, animals, or humans, and they don't damage furnishings, homes, or food. Millipedes feed on decaying organic matter, playing a role in soil health, and their many body segments are a characteristic feature of their anatomy. Although millipedes generally are harmless, they can sometimes frighten people.
Overview of common terrestrial arthropods: millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs (woodlice), and roly-polys (pill bugs)
An overview of common terrestrial arthropods such as millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs (woodlice), and roly-polys (pill bugs) reveals their diverse roles in garden ecosystems. Millipedes generally are vital decomposers, breaking down decaying plant matter and enriching soil with organic material. These creatures primarily millipedes feed on leaf litter and decaying vegetation, contributing to soil health.
Centipedes, including the house centipede, have flattened bodies and venom glands, preying on small insects and helping to control pest populations. Roly-polys, known for their ability to roll into a ball for protection, also feed on decaying vegetation and provide a food source for other animals in moist environments. The distinct body segments of these arthropods further highlight their unique anatomy.
Understanding their life cycles and interactions with plants helps manage their presence beneficially in gardens, ensuring a healthy ecosystem for both outdoor and indoor plants.
Importance of understanding their roles in ecosystems and potential impacts on gardens and homes
Understanding the roles of centipedes, pill bugs, roly polys, and garden millipedes in ecosystems is crucial for managing their potential impacts on gardens and homes. These arthropods play vital roles in decomposing organic matter like decaying plant material and leaf litter, which enriches soil health.
While some, like centipedes, control small insect populations beneficially, others such as pill bugs may eat seedling plants or become pests in compost piles. The distinct body segments of these creatures highlight their adaptability in various environments.
Using methods like diatomaceous earth can help control outdoors, providing a natural barrier against unwanted pests. Balancing their presence helps maintain biodiversity and supports natural pest control strategies, contributing to overall garden and home ecosystem health.
Garden Millipedes
Some folks confuse millipedes with centipedes. These two groups of many-legged, creepy-crawlies belong to different arthropod classes. The obvious differences:
- Millipedes have 2 pairs of legs per segment, a feature that gave rise to its class name of Diplopoda.
- Centipedes only have a single pair of legs per segment.
- Millipedes are vegetarians while centipedes are carnivores.
Get a load of those legs The name MILLIPEDE comes from the Latin word mille, meaning a thousand, and pedis, meaning foot. While these creatures do have a lot of legs, none actually have a thousand. There are lots of species (6,000+) and the number of legs varies considerably.
One source says the highest number of legs known for any millipede is 710. A garden milipede can live from 5 to 7 years. They are detrivores, which means they feed on decaying plant matter. These little beauties produce new legs almost every time they shed their exoskeletons.
They give off a strong-smelling, stomach-irritating chemical when interfered with. If eaten they cause vomiting.
Being vegetarians, millipedes eat plant matter Some feed on decomposing vegetation and fallen fruit while others will occasionally damage seedling plants by consuming stems and leaves. They eat all kinds of potatoes, flower bulbs, and tubers. They live in the garden in areas of moist mulch, compost, and lawn thatch. The females lay between 50 to 100 eggs a year and live for about 3 years.
Millipedes have a tendency to wander indoors in the late fall, in search of somewhere to overwinter. BLACK MILLIPEDE (Tachypodiulus niger) looks like a length of black, armoured pipe and coils stiffly like a watch spring. SPOTTED MILLIPEDE (Blaniulus guttulatus) has a row of reddish spots along each side of its yellow body.
Garden Centipedes
Centipedes are worm like, with flattened bodies. They belong to a group called Chilopods. Color can be brown, gray, red, or greenish-blue. with many body segments.
Most of the body segments have one pair of legs. Centipedes are fast runners and may vary in length from 1 to 6 inches. They have one pair of antennae or "feelers" that are easily seen.
Centipedes have poorly developed eyes and are most active at night. They are predators and feed mainly on insects and spiders. Best rule of thumb? Never handle centipedes.
Centipedes do have the first pair of appendages modified into claws, which can inject poison through their venom glands to immobilize their prey. The larger centipedes can bite people and they emit an irritating fluid that can cause an allergic reaction.
Centipedes prefer moist, protected habitats and are delighted with spaces under stones, rotted logs, leaves, or bark. They spend the winter as adults and lay eggs during the warm months. Indoors they may be found in closets and bathrooms where there is high humidity.
Garden centipedes usually lay 15-55 eggs clustered together, although the eggs of some species are laid alone. Eggs are usually laid in soil and covered by a sticky substance; they hatch soon after they are deposited. The female will usually guard the eggs and the newly hatched young.
Young centipedes closely resemble the adults and require 3 years to mature. Centipedes may live up to 6 years.
Are Pill Bugs Bad? Or Are Pill Bugs Good For Gardens?
Sow bugs in the garden and pill bugs (both also known as woodlice) are terrestrial crustaceans, and are related to lobsters, shrimp and crayfish. They are the only crustaceans that have adapted to living their entire life on land and they still have gills. The habits, biology, and control of sow bugs and pill bugs are similar.
Both animals are slow-moving, crawling arthropods and can appear in large numbers. They need a moist environment and are most active at night. During the day they rest under trash, rocks, boards, decaying vegetation, or just beneath the soil surface. Pill bugs roll up, sow bugs can't The main differences between a sowbug and a pillbug:
- The sowbug possesses two tail-like appendages, seven pairs of legs, and well-developed eyes. They are incapable of rolling into a tight ball.
- Pill bugs (or roly-poly bugs in the garden) lack the tail-like appendages and can roll into a tight ball or "pill" shape when disturbed.
In both species breeding can occur throughout the year in mild climates. The female carries the eggs in a brood pouch on the underside of her body, with up to 200 eggs per brood. The eggs hatch in 3 to 7 weeks and the young remain in the pouch another 6 to 7 weeks.
Some species produce only one brood per year, but others may produce 2 or more. Individuals may live up to 3 years. What they eat At night they venture out and feed on decomposing organic material.
These insects will feed on the tender foliage, stems and roots of young garden vegetable transplants, seedlings, and bedding plants. They also rasp the outer skin of cucumbers lying on the ground in gardens, causing fruit to be deformed and blemished.
Mainly a nuisance, pillbug and sowbug control in the garden is not always necessary, as they cause little harm to plants. Most gardeners do not categorize these insects as pests, but think of them as beneficials for converting decayed vegetation into humus. However, if you notice pill bugs or sow bugs feeding on tender seedlings, you can refer to our list of insecticides for controlling them.
Ways to Control Garden Pests
Unless these guys are causing damage to your plants, they are ok to not bother them. But if you feel they are causing damage, look for natural insecticides that are labeled for these pests. Here are a few methods that can be tried to control millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, and pill bugs in the garden organically without the use of pesticides:
- Reduce moist areas in the garden where eggs overwinter.
- Rake out old mulch under plants and replace it with fresh mulch or straw.
- Move piles of leaves to a compost pile away from areas you want to keep insect free.
- Aerate your lawn to reduce thatch that could provide a damp home.
- Next, pour wood ash into their nest area to dry out soil and create an uninhabitable area. Be careful because a large amount of wood ash is toxic to your soil and garden.
Chickens are great biological control for millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, and pill bugs, as well as a wide variety of other pests. Chickens are voracious eaters and spend most of their day wandering around looking for little moving critters they can eat.
Control Millipedes, Centipedes, Sow bugs and Pill bugs indoors
A heavy infestation indoors usually indicates a large population outdoors. Please consider your pest control and integrated pest management (IPM) solutions. To keep millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs and pillbugs from coming indoors, move their habitats (compost piles, firewood, and stones) away from the house.
Items that cannot be removed should be elevated off the ground. Create a band of gravel between your house foundation and flowerbeds. All these arthropods require moisture and do not survive indoors for more than a few days. Sweep them up with a broom or vacuum them.
To combat serious infestations, seal cracks in your outside foundation, and around the bottoms of doors, and basement windows.
While these insects can be scary, they are not so bad
Though they may "freak us out", millipedes, sow bugs, and pill bugs assist us by eating decomposing, organic matter as their primary food source. The centipede eats aphids and other soft-bodied insect pests. It is not necessary to do anything to control these insect populations unless they are actively damaging your young seedlings.
Some folks have taken to making millipedes pets! There is always something new and fascinating when it comes to nature.
Friend or Foe? The Role of These Arthropods in Gardens
Benefits of millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs, and roly-polys in garden ecosystems
Millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs, and roly-polys play beneficial roles in garden ecosystems by aiding in the decomposition of leaf litter and organic matter, enriching soil fertility.
Centipedes, with their predatory habits on small insects, help control pest populations naturally, contributing to plant health. Roly-polys and sowbugs recycle decaying plant material, supporting nutrient cycling in damp soils, while millipedes improve soil structure through their burrowing activities.
Understanding their diverse roles can help maintain a balanced garden environment conducive to plant growth and ecosystem sustainability.
Potential issues and challenges they may pose to plants or structures
While millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs, and roly-polys provide beneficial roles in gardens, they can pose challenges. Pill bugs, for example, may eat tender plant seedlings, while centipedes and millipedes might disturb plant roots in damp soil.
Roly-polys can accumulate in moist areas and occasionally invade structures. Understanding these potential issues helps gardeners manage and balance their presence effectively for plant and structural health.
Integrated pest management strategies: when and how to manage populations if necessary
When managing populations of millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs, and roly-polys in gardens, integrated pest management strategies are crucial.
Monitoring their presence and population density helps determine if action is necessary, such as reducing leaf litter or providing alternative habitats to discourage pests like pill bugs from feeding on plants.
Implementing natural predators such as praying mantises or adjusting moisture levels can also help maintain a balanced garden ecosystem without resorting to chemical controls.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the roles of millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs, and roly-polys in your garden can enhance the overall health of your ecosystem. While some gardeners may wonder if a garden centipede or soil centipede is harmful, most are harmless and actually beneficial. Belonging to the centipede order, these creatures often help control insect larvae populations, especially in moist, shaded areas.
Millipedes, unlike centipedes, primarily feed on decaying matter, helping to improve soil structure and fertility. Interestingly, centipedes have an odd number of leg pairs, typically one per body segment, while millipedes have two. The long roly poly, though often mistaken for a pest, plays a key role in breaking down organic materials.
Found throughout North America, these arthropods often make their way into compost piles, mulch, and even basements. For gardeners seeking gentle control methods, diatomaceous earth offers an effective barrier, and we also offer a range of organic pesticides for sale as natural alternatives. With a balanced perspective and a few mindful strategies, you can enjoy the benefits these soil-dwelling allies provide while maintaining a thriving, diverse garden environment.
FAQs about Millipedes, Centipedes, Sowbugs & Roly-Polys - Friend or Foe?:
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Are pill bugs and sowbugs destructive pests in gardens?
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Pill bugs and sowbugs primarily feed on decaying plant matter and do not typically damage healthy plants. However, they may nibble on seedlings or soft fruit if populations are high. These invertebrates play an important role in breaking down organic matter, but most species can be considered harmless when present in low numbers.
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How can I manage centipedes and millipedes in my garden?
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Centipedes and millipedes are beneficial as they prey on small insects like beetle larvae and help decompose organic matter. To manage their populations, maintain good garden hygiene by reducing leaf litter and damp spots where they thrive. Millipedes migrate to damp environments when conditions are favorable, so reducing moisture in these areas can deter them.
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Do roly-polys (pill bugs) eat plant roots?
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Roly-polys mainly consume decaying plant matter, not live plant roots. They play a role in nutrient cycling and are generally harmless to garden plants. When threatened, they often curl up into a tight little ball as a defense mechanism.
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What are natural predators of garden millipedes and sowbugs?
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Natural predators include predatory beetles, spiders, ground beetles, and wood shrimp, which help keep populations of garden millipedes and sowbugs in check. Birds may also feed on these other crustaceans and insects.
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How can I attract praying mantises to control pests like centipedes?
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Planting a diverse array of flowering plants can attract praying mantises, which are effective predators of small insects, including the stone centipede. Their presence can help control populations of true centipedes and other pests in your garden.
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Are millipedes and sowbugs attracted to moisture in gardens?
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Yes, millipedes and sowbugs prefer moist environments such as damp places, soil with high organic matter, and leaf litter. Managing moisture levels and removing debris can help deter them from congregating in unwanted areas of the garden.
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Do centipedes pose any risks to humans or pets?
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While centipedes can bite if handled, their venom is usually not harmful to humans and pets, though it may cause minor irritation. The defense mechanism of some species can be intimidating, but they are generally more beneficial than harmful in garden ecosystems.
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What is the difference between millipedes and centipedes?
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Millipedes typically have two pairs of legs per body segment, whereas centipedes have only one pair of legs per segment. True centipedes like the Scolopendra gigantea are carnivorous and often prey on other insects, while millipedes are mostly detritivores and feed on decaying plant material. Millipedes have segmented bodies with seven sets of legs, whereas centipedes have long legs and a more streamlined body structure.
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What species are considered the most common centipede in gardens?
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The most common centipede found in gardens is often the common species like the garden centipede, which can be identified by its long antennae and jointed legs. The stone centipede is another species that may also be found in moist, dark garden spaces.
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How do I know if I have a centipede infestation?
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You might notice the presence of centipedes crawling in damp areas, especially during summer and spring. If their numbers are excessive, you may need to treat the area. Removing debris and controlling moisture can help reduce their presence.
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What can I do to prevent centipedes from entering my home?
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To prevent centipedes from coming indoors, seal cracks around doors and windows and reduce moisture levels in areas like basements. Clearing debris and removing debris from around the house will help prevent these creatures from seeking shelter indoors.
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Can I use pesticides to control centipedes and millipedes?
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While pesticides can be effective, it's best to consider natural pest control methods first. These creatures often contribute positively to your garden, so minimizing pesticide use can help maintain a healthy ecosystem. Other species of insects can be controlled without harming beneficial invertebrates like millipedes and centipedes.
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Do millipedes damage plants or crops?
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Millipedes do not typically damage healthy plants. They primarily feed on decaying organic matter and can be beneficial in composting. However, if their numbers are high, they may occasionally nibble on penny sows or new seedlings.
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How can I reduce the number of millipedes in my garden?
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To reduce millipedes, focus on improving drainage and reducing damp environment areas in your garden. These creatures thrive in moist, dark conditions, so increasing sunlight and airflow will deter them from settling.
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What is the ideal environment for millipedes and centipedes?
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Both millipedes and centipedes thrive in damp places with plenty of organic matter. Millipedes especially enjoy moist, shaded areas, while centipedes may be found in areas where they can find other insects to prey on.
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Photo Credits and Resources
- Armadillidium vulgare by Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org
- Porcellio scaber by Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org
Read more about Integrated Pest Management in our Resource Center.
2 comments
The second year I had my greenhouse, it became over populated with pill bugs, sow bugs and fat bodied spiders. I acquired 6 free quail at Christmas and by spring time they had cleaned it out. No more huge spider webs or bugs eating the seedlings. Problem solved.
Pill bugs sow bugs and millepedes do eat seedlings and can kill older plants when they eat the roots that then rot. I have put out loosely covered bowls of cheap beer, under spot if shade is best. Some drown. the millepedes mostly I scoop up by hand and toss in the trash. Another method is to have a small pile of excess but not diseased greens chopped small left on top of damp soil or light covering of soil on top . You can pick out the bugs or scoop up the whole little pile. Let those things help at the dump. I’ve lost too many seedlings and plants to them. Some gardeners have found them munching 3 ft up on shaded plants! If you want a helpful critter to break down plant material buy some worms that do not love to eat seedlings and plant roots.