Can anyone ID this little bug?

[otis 226]

I've found a few of these creepy crawlers on some of the plants I brought back from a greenhouse lately. Not really an infestation, just one or three per plant. Usually in the media and usually moving along at a pretty good clip. They are dark grey, have lots of legs and antenna and look like mini pill bugs to me. They're about 1/4" long.
Sorry the photos are so poor, but my little camera doesn't do macro very well.
Thanks,
Tony

[Dendian]

I say - whatever they are - give them and the plants a good dose of the best stuff ever - because they don't look friendly! They look exactly like baby pill bugs!

[otis 226]

Yep, they got the best stuff ever...they got malathion as well. I did not see any damage to roots or other parts, and there were so few of them? I'd of thought baby pill bugs, but the didn't roll into a ball before being dispatched

[Dendian]

Some of the pill bugs do not - they call those Sow Bugs.. they can't roll up. However - they still feast on young growing shoots... so good thing you shot them with the big guns.

[digitalgate]

look like wood lice to me.

[katrina]

Growing outdoors in the Summer I see these a lot. Pill bugs, sow bugs, woodlouse...they are all in the same family.

Soaking the plant will cause them to come up and you can pick them off/out. If you put the plants outside...they will come back because an orchid pot/mount is a perfect environment for them. They require moisture in order to survive.

They eat decaying plant material and aren't usually much of a problem provided the population doesn't get out of control. I'd rather find one of these in my pot than those stupid centipedes. I know centipedes are carnivores and eat other insects but they CREEEEEEP me out!

[Dendian]

Katrina, thanks for the info on what they usually eat. I looked them up, and found some do eat plants - must be the ones I have

[BGGraham1]

Ugh! I found one of these things in my Enc. mariae last night. I pulled out my "watering skewer" and that sucker was hanging on!

First thing this morning I pulled the whole thing out to repot it (it just finished blooming), and there were only 2 ROOTS left!! One of the p'bulbs looked pretty chewed up, too. I cleaned the whole thing up, cut off what was left of the rotted roots, and I'm soaking it in some K-L-N until I get home. I'll run some of the Best Stuff Ever over it after I repot.

...i hate bugs...

[Puddy1]

Originally Posted by Dendian

Some of the pill bugs do not - they call those Sow Bugs.. they can't roll up. However - they still feast on young growing shoots... so good thing you shot them with the big guns.

Yup Them there are Sow bugs. Never good when those guys are around. Glad you got rid of em...

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Dendian

Katrina, thanks for the info on what they usually eat. I looked them up, and found some do eat plants - must be the ones I have

Sorry I missed this earlier.

Yes, they will eat plants (usually only the roots) but the population typically has to be pretty high for this to occur. A few in a basket or pot really isn't a big problem. They are not fun to find but they aren't going to do too much damage to a healthy plant. Healthy being the key word in that sentence. Seedlings could potentially be more susceptible to damage but again...the population would have to be rather high.

If the population gets large, yes, they can begin feeding on roots and other live tissue...but it's not their first food choice.

I've been dealing with these things forever...long before orchids. I soak my pots and mounts periodically to chase any up and I pick them off. Simple. Like I said, I'd much rather find a few of these than even one of the horrible, horrible centipedes. ICK!

Let me add...they are attracted to moist environments that have decaying organic matter. Next time you're outside turn over a rock or decaying piece of wood in a moist area....you'll see LOTS of them. It's not unusual to get a few because of the very nature of a potted plant or mounted plant. However, if the population climbs to large numbers then there is potentially bigger issues than just the bugs.

Next time I do a repot I will try to get pics of my roots as well as show that I always have a few of these things crawling around...you'll see what I'm talking about. A healthy plant is not going to be bothered by a couple/few of these things.