10 foods that rolly pollies like to eat include:
- Leaves
- Stems
- Shoots
- Roots
- Tubers
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Animal feces
- Carrion
- Shed animal skin
What are animals or other insects eat Rolly pollies?
What do Roly Polys (Rolly Pollies) Eat?
- Types of roly-polies and their habitats. Roly polies exists in some regions called common pill bug, doodlebug, potato bug, woodlouse, woodlice, or bug.
- Habitat and reproduction. ...
- Predation. ...
- Benefits of Keeping Roly Polies. ...
- FAQ’s About What do Roly Polys Eat. ...
Are Rolly Pollies good pets?
Unlike many insects and bugs, rolly pollies do not bite, sting, or carry harmful diseases. This is why there are many people who are able to safely keep them as pets. Are Rolly Pollies Poisonous? No, rolly pollies are not poisonous. And as stated earlier, they don’t sting, bite, or carry any harmful diseases. Are Rolly Pollies Bad?
Do Rolly Pollies need heat to live?
Seal all entry points into your home with plumber's caulk. Rolly-pollies enter your home through cracks in the foundation and walls during colder months, looking for a warm place to live. If the cracks are severe, contact a contractor to repair. Otherwise, squirt enough caulk into the holes to seal them. Allow the caulk to dry undisturbed.
What is the Diet of Rolly Pollies?
The primary foods for rolly pollies are wood fibers, leaves, and decomposed plants. They also eat fruits, tubers, roots, and stems. In the agricultural system, rolly pollies are considered as pest. They can be spotted in the areas with high risk of flood and heavy rains.

How do you keep Rolly Pollies alive?
Habitat and Maintenance Cover the bottom of the cage with hardwood mulch, organic topsoil or newspaper. Add plenty of items for the roly-polies to explore and to shelter under. Try pieces of bark, flat rocks, cardboard or crumpled paper. Keep their environment humid, as pill bugs breathe via gills rather than lungs.
What fruit do Rolly Pollies eat?
After all, they are detritivores who thrive on dead or decaying plant matter. That said, a pet rolly polly will do just fine on a diet of raw fruits and vegetables. The older these foods are when they're given to your rolly polly, the better. Safe foods include peels from potatoes, carrots, apples, and pears.
What do pill bugs drink?
What Do Pill Bugs Drink? Pill Bugs do drink water like other species in the animal kingdom. rolly-pollies use a tube-shaped structure called Uropods to pick up water and drink it.
Do Rolly Pollies eat lettuce?
If taken in as a pet, the rollie pollie might enjoy a wider array of foods. A petowner could fatten up the bug with fresh fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, lettuce or even apples skins. The bugs can also eat the skin of zucchinis and potatoes. Oatmeal is also an edible option for them.
Do pill bugs prefer salt or sugar?
Through testing we have found that the pill bugs prefer sweet over salty foods. There were always more bugs on the sugary side than the sponge side. We think, that in nature, there's more natural sugar in things while there's not much natural salt in the things the bugs would eat.
How do you keep a pill bug as a pet?
A plastic tub or glass aquarium works better for housing pill bugs. Use about an inch of moist soil, peat moss or humus; use a substrate that will hold humidity. On top of the substrate, you'll want to place a thin layer of leaf litter or bark and use a chunk of wood or bark as a cover.
What is the lifespan of a roly-poly?
between two and five yearsLife Cycle They look like small roly-poly bugs, and if it is a species that can roll, it can do so at birth. These isopods molt up to a dozen times in their lifetime, and the average lifespan of a roly-poly is between two and five years.
How long do Rolly Pollies live?
Pill bug shells look like armor and they are known for their ability to roll into a ball. Sometimes kids call them rollie-pollies. Most pill bugs live for up to two years. They are most active at night.
Do pill bugs eat fruit?
Diet. In the wild, pill bugs eat mostly decomposing vegetation -- vegetables, fruits, plants, grasses and weeds. When raising pill bugs in captivity, you can feed them fish flakes, apples, carrots, potatoes, lettuces and wild leaf litter.
Can Rolly Pollies eat bananas?
Food. Roly-polies are detritivores who consume a wide variety of organic material. They primarily consume dead plants or animals, but they will occasionally eat live plants. In captivity, they will thrive on a diet of raw fruit and vegetable slices.
Do Rolly Pollies eat strawberries?
Pill bugs -- also known as roly-polies because of their ability to roll up into little balls -- are chewing insects that can cause damage when they appear in high numbers. If pill bugs pose a problem in your garden, you can stop them from eating your strawberry plants by incorporating one or more control techniques.
Do Rolly Pollies bite humans?
Roly-polies a little prehistoric-looking and creepy, but they pose no harm to you, your family, or your pets. Pill bugs don't carry any diseases, nor do they sting or bite. They rarely live long after coming indoors because it's too dry for them.
What Do Rolly Pollies Eat ?
Most people don’t have a clue what the rolly polly bugs eats. This is important to know if you’re trying to rid your garden of these bugs or use th...
Where Do Rolly Pollies Live?
The garden is the most common place you’ll find rolly polly bugs. This is because there is so much wet, dead, organic material here. Other places y...
How Long Do Rolly Pollies Live?
Rolly pollies tend to live anywhere from 2 to 3 years as long as they are in the right conditions. Like mentioned before, rolly polly bugs thrive i...
The Pros and Cons of Having Rolly Polly Bugs in Your Garden Or Compost Pile
Like mentioned above, rolly pollies can eat through an entire bed of emerging seedlings in just one night. In addition to this, they also can eat h...
How Do You Eliminate Rolly Polly Bugs?
Although there are multiple ways to eliminate rolly pollies from your garden, it’s best to use a method that’s not going to harm your soil or grass...
Summary of The Rolly Polly Bug
Whether you’re a fan of the rolly polly bug or you can’t stand them, one thing is for sure. Rolly pollies are definitely one of the most unique cre...
What Do Rollie Pollies Eat if Kept as a Pet?
A petowner could fatten up the bug with fresh fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, lettuce or even apples skins. The bugs can also eat the skin of zucchinis and potatoes. O atmeal is also an edible option for them. Crumpled egg cartons, in addition to cardboard, are also safe for them to eat, as long as there is no print on the material. Water is their beverage of choice. The bugs’ food can be spread out within their habitat once a week. If the rollie pollie is a pet, it’s important to remember that any of their uneaten food should be removed from their habitat before the food gets moldy.
What do rolly pollies eat?
They can also safely eat fish food, fresh vegetables, ...
What is the scientific name of Roly Polys?
I'm doing a school project on Roly Polys, the Scientific Name is Armadillidiidae.
Do rollie pollies eat stink bugs?
Lester Ehler, an entomology professor at the University of California, found that rollie pollies also eat the eggs of stink bugs. Stink bugs are known to cause crop damage; therefore, the rollie pollie may be considered an asset in insect control.
Can rollie pollies enter a house?
To some home dwellers’ dismay, some rollie polllies may make their way into buildings. This is especially true when vegetation runs alongside the house. Wet soil, due to poor drainage or other conditions, is also an invitation for rollie pollies to enter a house.
Do rollie pollies decompose?
Rollie Pollies Eating Habits Aid in Decomposition. Rollie pollies are (like some beetles) also decomposers: They consume material from dead plants and animals and return essential nutrients back into the earth. They are considered beneficial decomposers because of this ability.
Do rollies eat mulch?
But that’s not all. Rollies pollies munch on scat, including their own, and decaying matter, like flesh. Rollie pollies need copper to live, and each time the bugs defecate, they lose a little of it—hence the recycling process. This practice is called coprophagy. They have also been known to eat mulch.
Where do rolly pollies live?
The garden is the most common place you’ll find rolly polly bugs. This is because there is so much wet, dead, organic material here. Other places you’ll also find these bugs include underneath logs, in compost piles, in grassy fields, and you may even find them in your basement and your garage too.
How do you eliminate rolly polly bugs?
Although there are multiple ways to eliminate rolly pollies from your garden, it’s best to use a method that’s not going to harm your soil or grass. For instance, pesticides are not a good method, because they will kill both helpful and non-helpful insects and bugs in one shot. You don’t want to eliminate all the bugs and insects. Some are beneficial and some are not.
What are some interesting facts about Rolly Polly?
Interesting facts about the rolly polly. Rolly pollies have an armadillo suit, and they can roll into a little ball for protection. Shrimp, crabs, and lobsters are all related to the rolly polly bug. These creatures have small gills like a fish. They use these gills to breath from.
How to get rid of rolly pollies in my house?
If you tend to get rolly pollies in your home, then start by removing the mulch around the foundation of your home. You’ll want to pull back the mulch anywhere from 8 to 12 inches. You can also caulk any cracks or holes in your foundation, sidewalks, and concrete steps.
What are the benefits of Rolly Polly Bugs?
For starters, rolly polly bugs return nitrates, phosphates, and other necessary nutrients back to the soil. As a result, your soil may be much healthier and grow better plants as a result. Another benefit of the rolly polly bug is their ability to ingest things that have contaminated the soil.
What is a rolly polly?
The Cumulative Guide to the Rolly Polly. For those who are unfamiliar with what exactly rolly polly bugs are, rolly polly is just another name for the woodlouse bug. The rolly polly bug is also known as the pill bug, the roll up bug, the sow bug, the armadillidiidae, and the slater too. This slimy bug is a member of the crustacean family ...
Why shouldn't you use pesticides on polly rolly bugs?
Another reason why you shouldn’t use pesticides to eliminate polly rolly bugs is because it could possibly kill all the nutrients in the soil. This is one of the worst things you can do to your garden.
What Do Rolly Pollies Like to Eat?
Rolly pollies are detritivores that eat decaying plant and animal matter.
How Do Rolly Pollies Find Food?
Rolly pollies interact with the world in very different ways from humans. First of all, although they cannot hear, they are able to sense vibrations using their antennae. While not extremely helpful for finding food, it does enable them to protect themselves from threats. Generally speaking, rolly pollies mostly rely on their sense of smell.
What Do Pet Rolly Pollies Eat?
Rolly pollies in captivity can survive on a diet of raw fruits and vegetables.
What Do Baby Rolly Pollies Eat?
Rolly polly females carry their eggs in a pouch under their bodies until the eggs hatch. Upon hatching, baby rolly pollies look exactly like adult rolly pollies, only smaller. However, even after they hatch, babies will stay with their mothers for another two months. It takes about a year for rolly pollies to reach maturity.
What Do Pill Bugs Eat in The Wild?
In the wild, pill bugs feed on many things such as dying or decomposed plants such as weeds, grass, leaves, and more.
Are Pill Bugs Poisonous?
Pillbugs are not poisonous as they don’t sting, bite, or carry any harmful diseases.
Do Rolly Pollies Eat Dog Poop?
Yes, indeed, they do. rolly-pollies eat all kinds of feces. Also, they eat their own excretion, which is known as self-coprophagy.
How Often Do Rolly Pollies Eat?
Rolly-pollies can feed as much as they want to as long as there is food availability.
Why are rolly pollies important?
Thanks to their sensitivity to changes that occur in the environment, rolly-pollies are excellent indicators of the ecosystem’s health. Their presence in the environment means the ecosystem is thriving. In addition to this role, pill bugs are a great source of nutrition to other animals that rely on them for food.
Why are rolly pollies driven to engage in cannibalism?
For instance, many rolly-pollies are driven to engage in cannibalism when food resources are scarce.
How many legs does a rolly polly have?
This species is classified in the order Isopoda, meaning the same foot. This is because the pill bug has 14 legs, all of which are of the same shape and size. The rolly-pollies inhabit the soil or earth surface, and they are found in abundance in moist regions or damp soils.
What are Rolly Pollies a Sign Of?
Rolly pollies in your home are a sign of moisture problem. If you find these bugs in your home, then you may have a serious moisture problem that needs to be addressed soon. As stated earlier, rolly pollies love habitats with high humidity levels, moderate temperature levels, and reduced exposure to sunlight.
Do Rolly Pollies Need Water? What do rolly pollies drink?
Rolly Pol lies don’t really “drink” water, but instead have gills that allow them to obtain enough water from the moisture & humidity in their habitats. If exposed to an open water source, these little critters may drown. That’s why you won’t find them living in ponds or swimming pools.
Can Rolly Poly Bite You?
Unlike many insects and bugs, rolly pollies do not bite, sting, or carry harmful diseases. This is why there are many people who are able to safely keep them as pets.
Are Rolly Pollies Bad?
Because they tend to feed on live garden plants like shoots, roots, leaves, and even fruits, rolly pollies are often considered as pests. Although they do play an important role in temporarily removing heavy metal deposits from soil, most people are often looking for ways to eradicate them due to the damage they cause.
How Do You Tell if a Rolly Polly is a Boy or Girl?
You can easily tell whether a rolly polly is a boy or girl by looking at their undersides. A boy pill bug typically has a darker shell while female pill bug has a lighter shell with some brown dots.
Why are pill bugs considered a pest?
Because they consume live plants which leads to significant yield loss, pill bugs are often considered serious pests. Some roly pollie species also have strange eating habits. They are known to eat their own feces, feces from other animals, and even decaying or decomposing animal flesh.
What are pill bugs?
Most people assume that Pillbugs (scientific name: Armadillidium vulgare ), also referred to as rolly pollies, potato bugs, pill millipedes, doodlebugs, slaters, sow bugs, poly bugs, are insects. However, pill bugs, which are in the family Armadillidiidae (a family of wood lice), are actually crustaceans. This may come off as a surprise to many.
What do rolly pollies eat?
Isopods can be fed a mixed diet of leaf litter, organic veggies, and the occasional ground down bonemeal treat. Isopods do best with a mixed diet, find out about our specialty isopod food for an easier feeding time.
How to care for roly polys?
Roly polys are easy to care for only requiring shelter, moisture, and food. Reaching less than an inch long these little guys don’t require much space, a plastic aquarium, plastic bin, or any container 5-10 gallons big will work, cover the floor of the container with organic soil, organic wood mulch, or organic shredded paper, then add wood, rocks, ...
Why are roly polys called rolly polly?
Roly polys can be called any of the names I stated in the first paragraph, and all are proper, but it’s easy to see where they got their most commonly called name roll-y polly because of how they roll into a ball to protect themselves when confronted by danger.
Do polys need light?
Light is also not a requirement. The last thing to mention is temperature – although roly polys are resilient they prefer room temperature and can overheat or freeze, and should be kept inside if possible with a lid to keep out predators or pets. With good care – your roly poly friends can live up to 3 years!
Do Roly Polys breathe through gills?
These fun guys roll into a ball when they feel threatened. Another fun fact about roly polys is that they breathe through gills and need moisture to survive – this will be important later and is a main part of their care. Roly Poly Care –. Roly polys are easy to care for only requiring shelter, moisture, and food.
What do rolly pollies eat?
The rolly pollies bug thrives on rotting vegetables, mulch, and other decomposed plant matter. Therefore, removing these materials from the garden and around the house will deter these creatures.
How to get rid of rollie pollies?
Another home remedy to get rid of rollie pollies naturally is diatomaceous earth (DE). One of its uses being an organic insecticide, this white powder is obtained from the microscopic fossilized skeletons of aquatic creatures.
What is the best product for roly poly?
Bonide is an excellent product to take care of a roly poly infestation. It also comes in pellet form for those who prefer not to spray. This product kills rollie pollie bugs and is effective against other types of crawling insects.
What do Pillbugs eat?
Pillbugs (Armadillidium vulgare) are crustaceans and do have their uses by mostly feeding on dead or decaying organic material [ 1 ]. However, an infestation can cause problems in the garden as these critters may also eat seedlings and plant roots.
How to get rid of poly bugs in potato?
Potato Trap. Full of moisture and food, roly poly bugs are easily attracted to this DIY method. Cut some potatoes in half and spoon away some to make depressions in each piece. Next, place the cut side down in the soil or infested areas and leave for a day or two before removing.
How to get rid of pillbugs in the ground?
1. Beer Trap. Any type of beer will attract pillbugs. Fill a plastic cup or bowl with beer and sink it into the ground. The rim of the cup should be in line with the surface of the ground so the bugs can crawl in and drown. Remove and replace the beer once you are satisfied with the number of bugs inside. 2.
What to use to keep bugs away from plants?
Coffee Grounds. This is a useful and inexpensive method for coffee drinkers to use in their gardens. Spread a ring around plants to protect seedlings and young growth, burnt grounds are even better. This is more of a way of deterring the bugs rather than killing them.
