What Attracts Pill Bugs

If you’ve ever overturned a pot or stone in your garden, you’ve likely seen a cluster of pill bugs scurrying away. Understanding what attracts pill bugs is the first step to managing them, whether you want to draw them in for study or encourage them to leave certain areas alone. These little crustaceans, also called roly-polies or woodlice, aren’t true insects but are common in damp outdoor spaces.

They play a helpful role in breaking down organic matter, but sometimes they become a nuisance in greenhouses or around tender seedlings. Let’s look at the simple, effective methods to attract them and why you might want to.

Pill bugs are attracted to very specific environmental conditions and food sources. Their needs are simple: moisture, shelter, and decaying plant material. If your garden has these elements, it likely already has a pill bug population.

They are primarily detritivores, meaning they eat dead and decaying matter. They are not typically aggressive pests that eat healthy plants, but they may nibble on soft stems or leaves if their preferred food is scarce. Here are the primary attractants.

Moisture and Dampness is Key

Pill bugs breathe through gills. Because of this, they require constant moisture to survive. They dry out quickly in arid conditions. Any area that retains dampness will be a magnet for them.

Wet Soil and Mulch: Overwatered garden beds, especially those with thick mulch, create a perfect habitat.
Leaky Spigots and Drainage Issues: Standing water or consistently damp ground near foundations attracts them.
Under Pots and Stones: These objects trap moisture against the soil, providing the damp shelter they need.

Abundant Shelter and Darkness

Pill bugs are nocturnal and avoid light. They seek out dark, tight spaces during the day. Providing shelter is a surefire way to attract them.

You’ll often find them under:

Boards, logs, or rocks
Thick layers of leaf litter or straw
Decaying wood piles
Stepping stones and garden decor

Their Favorite Food Sources

Their diet consist mainly of decaying organic matter. A garden rich in this material is like a buffet for pill bugs.

Decaying Leaves and Wood: This is their primary food source. They help compost these materials.
Decomposing Vegetables and Fruit: Fallen produce or compost piles are highly attractive.
Young, Tender Seedlings: In spring, they may feed on stems and leaves of young plants when other decay is less available. This is when they are most often seen as pests.

Creating a Pill Bug Habitat for Observation

You might want to attract pill bugs for a classroom project or to simply observe their beneficial composting work. Here’s a simple, effective method to create a temporary habitat.

What You’ll Need:

A small terrarium or large container with a lid (poke air holes)
Moist soil and leaf litter
A piece of bark or a small cardboard tube
A slice of potato or carrot
A spray bottle for water

Step-by-Step Setup:

Add a layer of moist soil to the bottom of your container.
Place the leaf litter, bark, and cardboard tube on top to provide shelter.
Add the piece of potato or carrot as a food source.
Gently collect pill bugs from under a pot in your garden and place them in the container.
Mist the habitat lightly with water every other day to keep it damp, not soggy.
Observe how they break down the food and leaves.

Using Attractants for Natural Pest Control

Ironically, you can use what attracts pill bugs to trap them away from plants you want to protect. This is a safe, non-chemical control method.

The Potato Trap Method

This is a classic and very effective technique. Pill bugs love the moist, starchy environment of a hollowed potato.

Take a potato and cut it in half.
Scoop out a good amount of the center to create a hollow.
Place the potato halves hollow-side down near affected plants or in damp areas.
Check the traps every morning. You’ll find pill bugs gathered inside.
Simply collect the potato and relocate the pill bugs to a compost area.

The Rolled Newspaper or Cardboard Trap

This method uses their love for dark, damp shelter.

Dampen a section of newspaper or corrugated cardboard.
Roll it up loosely and secure it with a rubber band or string.
Place the rolls in garden beds in the evening.
In the morning, carefully pick up the rolls and place them in a bucket. The pill bugs will be inside hiding.
You can then move them to a more suitable part of your yard.

How to Make Your Garden Less Inviting

If pill bugs are damaging young plants, you’ll want to remove the attractants. The goal is to alter the environment to be less pill bug-friendly.

Reduce Moisture: Water plants in the morning so the soil surface dries by evening. Fix leaky faucets and improve drainage.
Remove Hiding Places: Clear away excess mulch from plant stems, pick up boards and stones, and keep the area tidy.
Elevate Pots and Debris: Keep pots off the ground on stands and clear decaying plant debris promptly.
Create a Dry Barrier: A thin layer of diatomaceous earth (food grade) around plants can deter them, as it dries out their bodies. Reapply after rain.

Remember, complete elimination is neither necessary nor desirable. Pill bugs are valuable decomposers. The aim is to manage their population around vulnerable plants.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the fastest way to attract pill bugs?

The fastest way is to place a damp, hollowed-out potato or a piece of wet cardboard on the soil overnight. They will congregate underneath it by morning due to the moisture and shelter.

Are pill bugs bad for my garden?

Generally, no. They are beneficial decomposers. They only become a problem if their population explodes and they begin feeding on young, tender plants due to a lack of their preferred decaying food.

What smells or foods are pill bugs most attracted to?

They are attracted to the smell of decaying plant matter, like rotting vegetables, fruit, and leaves. They are not drawn to strong spices or herbs in the same way some insects are.

Do pill bugs prefer light or dark?

They strongly prefer dark, damp places. They are nocturnal and will actively avoid light, which is why you find them under objects during the day.

Can I use beer to attract pill bugs like I do for slugs?

While some gardeners try this, it is not as reliably effective for pill bugs as it is for slugs. They are less attracted to fermented liquids. Stick with potato or cardboard traps for better results, as those methods directly target their need for shelter and moisture.

Understanding what attracts pill bugs gives you the knowledge to work with them. You can create habitats for observation, set simple traps, or adjust your gardening practices to find the right balance. These little recyclers have a role to play, and with a few smart methods, you can ensure they help your garden rather than hinder it.