# Diatomaceous earth?



## AdamD (Aug 1, 2014)

The pill bugs, roly pollies, whatever you want to call them, are back and munching on healthy roots. I've read that DE is a good deterrent, as well as sluggo... Just wondering if anyone has used DE on their plants? I understand it has a high sodium content, yikes. Kinda apprehensive about that. Suggestions?


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## SlipperFan (Aug 1, 2014)

What do you have them potted in? I associate those pests with my garden and soil. If I found them in my mix, I'd repot, getting rid of all the old media. And then be sure they pots are not on anything the buggers can climb on.


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## AdamD (Aug 1, 2014)

They are in new repots as well as old, these days I'm using straight Orchiata. Everything has been repotted in the past 9 months, so no old decaying media is around. Pots are sterilized before use and most are brand new. I don't get it, but there they are. I've read they munch on decaying wood, fungus and bacteria. But when those food sources are in short supply, they take to roots and tender leaves. I have found one hole in a phal leaf... Grrr


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## mrhappyrotter (Aug 1, 2014)

I'm hardly an expert on these guys, but are you absolutely sure they're responsible for the damage? Or are you just assuming because they're the only crawlie things you're seeing, they must be causing the damage? Only asking because I've never, ever seen even the slightest bit of evidence that the average pill bug is anything but a detritivore.

That being said, I haven't had much luck with diatomaceous earth in general, but certainly not against pill bugs. About a decade ago, I had a real problem with them after summering my plants outside for the summer. At the time, I worked with an expert on insecticides, who told me that there aren't really any good, effective, and long term remedies for pill bugs ... just get used to them.

In my experience, the best way of minimizing the population is to individually submerse pots in a bucket or sink. Then you can pour off the individuals that crawl out of the mix. For me, the smaller ones are fed to my fish, who seem okay with that arrangement.


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## AdamD (Aug 1, 2014)

I've also read that they can be beneficial creatures, but these are, without a doubt, munching on active root tips. And, I've also read they can survive underwater for several hours. Good tip though. They do come a crawling up after a good drenching. That's when I pick them off. Unfortunately, now they're making babies...


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## Erythrone (Aug 1, 2014)

I already "raised" many of them on my orchid pots and I never saw any damage. Anyway I don't raise pill bugs anymore since I spray my plants with Botanigard every 2 weeks!


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## NYEric (Aug 1, 2014)

Look for a snail or slug. They are devious and only come out at night. !


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## Ray (Aug 2, 2014)

If Eric is correct, then DE is a possibility, as slugs and snails are really the only thing repelled by it, but you'll need to find horticultural grade with sharp edges, versus the very processed, hence rounded, stuff used for filtration.


Ray Barkalow
Sent using Tapatalk


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## DarioU (Aug 2, 2014)

I have this problem. Pill bugs are dangerous if they are a lot. I have found effective flow the pots with piretroids. The first time pill bugs come to the surface and, after 20 minutes, then I flow again. It is effective.


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## lepetitmartien (Aug 2, 2014)

I second DarioU. The problem is the numbers…

Those bugs are crustaceans not insects, they won't react with insecticides like any other bug. Nor can be drown easily.

Speculation part:

One track to try could be fungicides, most are dangerous for aquatic life, maybe it can be the case for pill bugs. (It's speculative, but you can still try)

Now they have a chitinous carapace and it's sensible to soap/alcool attacks.

I don't think diathomaceous earth can be effective enough, as the bug is too big. The smaller the bug, the best it works.

Backgrounded part:

What I have found that should work:
- neem oil is repulsive (emulsify with soap if it goes on plants, fresh oil is less smelly).
- insecticides for crawling bugs.
- insecticides against ants.


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## gonewild (Aug 2, 2014)

In the past I tried using DE as an ingredient in potting media for orchids and ornamental plants. I hoped it would work well because we lived very close to a mine an I could get it free. It was horrible and no plant liked any amount of it. I would not use it. And the mine was crawling with insects so I doubt it has a negative effect on bugs.


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## AdamD (Aug 2, 2014)

Good to know! I will try neem oil and physan, although I hate using it altogether. Not on the same day. Also will set snail bait out. I've seen dead pill bugs in bait trays before, though not many. 

Is physan harmful to roots?


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## NYEric (Aug 2, 2014)

Why are you using physan? Are you trying to clean your plants?


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## AdamD (Aug 2, 2014)

To eliminate food sources (bacteria, fungi), possibly kill some bugs in the process


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## NYEric (Aug 2, 2014)

Physan makes surfaces sterile. Like a very, very strong soap. Iin fact its not a carcinogen its a mutagen!! Be careful.


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## Chicago Chad (Aug 2, 2014)

I see your point with Physan, but I don't think it would achieve what you want (eliminating the food source) with the rollies. 

I use DE for my stonei. As Ray said make sure that it is a fresh water source. I have to hussle a friend for some because it is not easy to find, although the salt water stuff is readily used for construction and what not. 

Have you tried flushing with soap and water before you start with any hard stuff?

Aren't all of your plants grown indoors?


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## AdamD (Aug 2, 2014)

Chad, I haven't tried soap yet, and yes, they are grown indoors in the basement. There is a window in the room that is almost always cracked open a bit to let fresh air in, especially these days with the cool summer we've had. I guess they got in through there when they were young, through the screen. the other day I had a jewel wasp in there! Yikes. I immediately repotted the plant it was in, of couse my most expensive plant. Good thing too, found out the media was too moist in the core and had started to mold. Nice coincidence considering I hadn't planned on repotting it for a few months to come.


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## Chicago Chad (Aug 3, 2014)

I am a bit surprised that the things are that mobile. To go from outside, through a window and into the plant media seems like a long haul. I would treat the outside area heavily just because. 

When I was growing orchids outdoors for part of the year in Chicago I would only get things like this or earwigs, if there was an excessive amount of rain that left all of the surrounding ground saturated or if the potting medium had broken down and gotten soggy. I believe they prefer decaying matter over fresh mixes we use so I am thinking the kelp extract that I believe you said you are using has enticed them. Organics can do that.

Have you had a lot of rainfall this year? I know the seasons have gone to hell for a lot of people.


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## AdamD (Aug 3, 2014)

Yes, we have had heavy rainfall. We live about 2 miles from the Mississippi, and this year was the 4th highest crest on record. The past 3 weeks have been very dry though. They might have been enticed by the high humidity coming from inside the room. Who knows. I do not use kelp extract, yet.


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## Chicago Chad (Aug 3, 2014)

I think they were probably flooded in and weren't left many options. Your pots probably seem like ample substitutes. 

I would use the hippie soap on the medium. (Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap)


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## ALToronto (Aug 3, 2014)

I found two enormous rollies on one of my living walls. One was 25 mm long, the other about 20. Not exaggerating - I've seen smaller shrimp served in restaurants. They both ran away very quickly when I tried to stab them with a bamboo skewer.

However, I haven't seen significant damage to the roots. I also have little black snails, which are fortunately slow moving, and they chew the root tips a little, but nothing to warrant chemical warfare in my house. There is plenty of decaying matter to keep the rollies well fed - maybe they eat roots when there is no moldy wood for them to eat?

I can't imagine what chemical could possibly be effective against my giants.


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## NYEric (Aug 3, 2014)

Snail problem: If you see one, you have 10, If you see 2, you have 100!!!

Giant Rollies!? Throw another Armadillididae on the Barbie!? oke:


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## abax (Aug 6, 2014)

Just to chime in, I use DE around the inside and outside of my greenhouse
foundation and haven't had a pill bug since I started doing it...slugs or
snails either, for that matter. I wouldn't put it in or on top of pots, but I
think points of entry is a good idea. I started doing this when I was having
enormous problems with slugs eating my hosta and noticed in passing that the pill bugs disappeared too.


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