Depending on where you grew up, you might call them roly polies, potato bugs, pill bugs, sow bugs, armadillo bugs, doodle bugs… The list goes on. Whatever you call them, did you know that pill bugs and sow bugs aren’t actually the same?

For starters, sow bugs and pill bugs aren’t bugs, they’re crustaceans—in fact, the only crustaceans that can spend their entire lives on land. Sow bugs and pill bugs are the same size, about ½ - ¾ inch long, with seven pairs of legs, and grayish-brown “plates” on their backs. The two obvious, but relatively inconsequential, differences are that pill bugs can roll into a ball when threatened (hence, “roly poly” or “armadillo bug”) while sow bugs cannot, and sow bugs have a pair of short “tail” appendages on the end of their bodies while pill bugs do not.

Both are found in damp areas like mulch beds, under leaf litter or logs, in compost or under tree bark. Both pill bugs and sow bugs will move inside if the weather becomes too wet or too dry and will most often be found in basements, bathrooms, or laundry rooms. They do not bite or do any structural damage.

The pill bug and sow bug diet consists of decaying organic matter such as plants or leaves, but they will occasionally eat decaying animal flesh as well. They are also an important food source for birds, spiders, toads, centipedes, and millipedes. If they are not eaten or otherwise killed, these “bugs” can live for up to three years.

The best defense against “roly polies” getting into your home is sealing gaps around doors and windows, making sure window screens fit tightly, and limiting ideal pill bug habitats near your house.

While these crustaceans prefer the outdoors and do not usually survive for long inside, an onslaught of pill bugs or sow bugs in your home could indicate moisture issues. The technicians at Burgess Pest can help you figure out how and why these critters are rolling into your living space, and keep them outside where they belong.