Sowbugs
and pillbugs are about 1/2 inch long, dark gray
and oval. Sowbugs are flattened and have two
tail-like structures on the rear end of the body
that pillbugs do not have. Sowbugs and pillbugs
are small animals more closely related to
lobsters than to insects. Although sowbugs
resemble pillbugs (roly-polies), sowbugs are
incapable of rolling up into a ball.
Life Cycle and Habits
A
female sowbug or pillbug carries her eggs in a
pouch for several weeks until they hatch. The
young remain in the pouch for a time. About 50
young develop in each brood.
Sowbugs and pillbugs feed on decaying vegetation
and sometimes tender vegetation. They breathe by
means of gills and live under vegetable debris
and other objects lying on damp ground. They are
sometimes found in damp basements and crawl
spaces, but they do no structural damage. They
die soon after and may be swept up. Large
numbers of sowbugs or pillbugs in a basement or
crawling in the upper part of a house usually
mean an abundant number outside.
Although primarily
scavengers, during wet weather, sowbugs and
pillbugs may come indoors and seek refuge under
and in potted plants. Occasionally, sowbugs and
pillbugs feed on the roots and tender portions
of vegetable and ornamental plant seedlings.
Feeding would tend to be at night or in the
dark. They may infest house plants where they
might damage roots if severe.
