Hi,
i need some advice about woodlice I have terrorising my garden.

Every year i grow Runner beans and last year I found the woodlice were eating their way into the beans and making them 'nests' as they were breeding in them. I have never ever seen this behaviour before but it meant I had to throw away about half of the beans I grew.

This year I have started some lettuces and once again the woodlice in my garden are having a go at them.

I have no idea how to keep them away or who to ask as this is new to both me and my friends and mum.

Does anyone have any idea how to keep them away from my veggies and garden in general please?

Hi,
i need some advice about woodlice I have terrorising my garden.

Every year i grow Runner beans and last year I found the woodlice were eating their way into the beans and making them 'nests' as they were breeding in them. I have never ever seen this behaviour before but it meant I had to throw away about half of the beans I grew.

This year I have started some lettuces and once again the woodlice in my garden are having a go at them.

I have no idea how to keep them away or who to ask as this is new to both me and my friends and mum.

Does anyone have any idea how to keep them away from my veggies and garden in general please?

Ive got them in my house, walking about all over.

There is a specific Woodlouse powder you can buy to kill them and also Ant Killer powder works on them too.

I didnt know there was a woodlice powder, but I shall go and have a look for it. Thanks!

There is a specific Woodlouse powder you can buy to kill them and also Ant Killer powder works on them too.

I have got some Ant Killer powder but I just stand on them in the house. Too many in the garden though, they are running around all over. Every pot or weed I pull up they run out of.

Here we go :

http://www.pesthelp.co.uk/weshop/Woodlice_Earwigs_Beetles.asp

Has anyone tried the electronic gizmos shown here?

Here we go :

http://www.pesthelp.co.uk/weshop/Woodlice_Earwigs_Beetles.asp

Has anyone tried the electronic gizmos shown here?

Thats interesting Joe.

Have a look at this website

http://www.greengardener.co.uk/repel.htm

there is a product called debug made from fossilized algae I think it says. I wouldn't want to apply anything that came with its own breathing mask.

Strange that they are doing this damage. I thought they only ate decaying matter - perhaps yours are just fed up with rotten wood

Forgot to ask if you're sowing directly into the ground. If so then starting the beans off in pots will help if you can start them somewhere out of the reach of hungry woodlice.

Are they eating the roots or leaves of your lettuces. If it is the leaves then again provided they get a good start before being planted out I'd of thought they could sustain a mild attack - whether you like woodlice nibbled lettuce is another issue. Perhaps you could lure them away like the pied piper of Hamlyn .. wonder what might be a suitable tune ..

I have got some Ant Killer powder but I just stand on them in the house. Too many in the garden though, they are running around all over. Every pot or weed I pull up they run out of.

I have found that if you stamp on wood lice or crush them while they are 'pregnant' hundreds of tiny ones will scatter all over the place, when I did it, it wasn't a pretty site as at lightning speed they disapeared into the carpet, also I understand they are edible & belong to the shrimp family.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

As for the beans, no we started them off in pots and didnt plant them till they were large enough to climb round the poles I had in...... I didnt think woodlice went for them either and I've been growing beans for ages and never had this problem till last year!

As with the lettuces and Cauliflowers, theyve gone for the leaves. They were doing quite well until the woodlice got them and now theyre looking a bit forlorn all chewed up.

As as them being edible... well... it would be revenge, you eat my plants and I'm gonna eat you! But I think i'll pass! Fried woodlice doesnt exactly make me go mmmmmmm!

:gag:

This has put me off me dinner!

I have them in my house too. They usually start when you mistakenly buy that shredded bark for your garden - it's the worst thing I ever did! I've got rid now and have gravel instead!

Don't waste them, your onto a goldmine there.

http://www.geocities.com/~gregmck/woodlice/recipes.htm

Don't waste them, your onto a goldmine there.

http://www.geocities.com/~gregmck/woodlice/recipes.htm

I'm glad you found this bit of info, it proves that I don't always talk out of my arse.:hihi:

I thought that woodlice only ate decomposing vegetable matter. I learned something new.

Im going to try the recipes too, Im sick of eating `em raw.