Wacky Pest Wednesday: Roly Pollies

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Photo reproduced under a CC 3.0 license by Franco Folini from Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Armadillidium_vulgare_001.jpg

Happy Wednesday to all you Tri-County Pest Control fans out there and welcome back to our favorite weekly tradition: Wacky Pest Wednesday!  Join us today, as we give you some things that you may not know about the roly pollies!

Roly pollies, sowbugs, pillbugs, doodlebugs, or potato bugs, all of those names represents one specific kind of bug.  While the only official name for this funny little critter is its scientific name (Armadillidium vulgare), we are sure you’ve seen one before.  No matter what you call them, these little guys are known for their ability to roll into a ball when threatened and roll around to escape—think of it as their very own unicycle.  However, there is many more fascinating facts to this bug than just its ability to roll into a ball!

Indeed, one of the coolest thing about this critter is that it’s not an insect—it is a crustacean.  Believe it or not, this pest has more in common with shrimp than cockroaches, namely because they breathe through their gills.  This being said, the roly pollies needs a very moist environment in order to survive, which makes your basement or cabinet under the sink a great place for them to hide.

Overall, these critters will generally keep to themselves, while chowing down on rotting vegetation and other “delicious” morsels that they can find..  Thus, the best way to make sure that roly pollies don’t invade your home is to keep a tidy kitchen and clean up any leaks that may spring up in your basement or laundry room.  

Well, that wraps it up for this edition of Wacky Pest Wednesday.  To learn more about some of the wacky pests of the world, be sure to check back each Wednesday for a new edition!

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