Roly-Polys

[tcpiii]

[Moved by SeanB - you are correct. This is clearly not an advanced topic. The bird thread will also be moved.]

Ok, this isn't exactly an advanced topic, but if dead birds belong in this forum then maybe roly- polys do too . . .

My pool is surrounded by woods, so bugs come with the territory. I've always had a few roly-polys in the pool - no big thing. But this year, for some reason, I've got a bumper crop. Literally hundreds drown every night.

I'd rather they meet an untimely death outside the pool than in it, or prevent them from suicide altogether. Any experience or ideas?

Coty

 

[dandjpool]

Do you have a tree hanging over the pool?
This happened to me as my Elm tree was giving up the ghost.
I had thousands of the little boogers falling in everyday and only a couple of branches were near the pool.
My resolution was to cut the tree down as it was almost dead anyway.

 

[tcpiii]

No, there's no overhang. They're just all around. I often see them crawling around on the bricks near the pool. If anyone leaves a wet towel overnight near the pool, in the morning there will be many roly-polys underneath.

Coty

 

[Vegasmom]

I'll trade you your roly-polys for my sun spiders and cockroaches. I'm about ready to go over the wall to the desert behind us and start bombing. We are being invaded, too. Ahhh, summer......

 

[dandjpool]

No, there's no overhang. They're just all around. I often see them crawling around on the bricks near the pool. If anyone leaves a wet towel overnight near the pool, in the morning there will be many roly-polys underneath.

Coty

The only thing you can do is give them nowhere to hide. If they can find a damp spot they will hang out there.
How can you keep dampness from a pool? You got me there.
You would probably have to keep the pool deck clear and dry so they will be less likely to make the trek to the pool.
I think they avoid salt just like slugs. Try to salt 'em. :-D

 

[twisties]

I'll trade you your roly-polys for my sun spiders and cockroaches. I'm about ready to go over the wall to the desert behind us and start bombing. We are being invaded, too. Ahhh, summer......

Glad to see i am not the only one fighing with sun spiders we get scorpions too.

 

[Vegasmom]

Glad to see i am not the only one fighing with sun spiders we get scorpions too.

Isn't the desert great? :| I've been here almost 30 years but I've only seen 3 scorpions. I have mixed feelings about the sun spiders because they're really harmless and they eat a lot of bugs. My kids are just so afraid of them and they are rather scary looking. Hard to enjoy sitting outside at night with them crawling around. And the cockroaches can fly!

 

[Rangeball]

Some years I have this issue, some, like this year, none at all. Just the nature of the beast, I figure.

 

[Utahtabby]

Roly-polys (also called pill bugs or medicine bugs) eat only decaying vegetation (including wet rotting wood or landscape timbers), so make sure all that kind of stuff is far away from your pool. They are NOT insects but related to lobsters etc and prefer dampness. They eat up stuff you don't want around anyway so don't kill them if you can avoid it.

Tabby

 

[branchop]

tcpiii,

I feel you pain. I am in Indian Trail and the roly polys this year have been awful. It must be the region. hopefully this is a once in a few years type of thing

Branden