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Most people know what a woodlice looks like, but not many
are aware of the damage that they actually cause - especially at night
when they roam and eat young leaves of tender plants. Woodlice also feed on old decaying matter and general
garden debris, which is where they are normally found during the
daylight hours. Typically Woodlice either scurry away with their
multitude of legs, or curl up in a tight ball - hoping that it will
deter any predator!
Woodlice are happy living in greenhouse conditions,
where they can wander amongst young tender seedlings at will during the
night and either eat foliage or nibble at stems - often causing the
collapse of the plant.
They prefer dry conditions rather than damp, and are
often to be found in loose leaf little rather than the damper compost
heap. Old tree stumps are also a favourite hiding place.
They can be controlled - killed - with applications of
Bendiocarb, Permethrin or standard creepy-crawly insect sprays/dusts
such as are normally sold for ants etc. (Technically the woodlice is not
an insect, but a crustacean.)
As well as being garden pests, woodlice can find their
way into the home, and be an unwelcome visitor, though rarely doing any
damage. |
