This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Woodlice
SFord
Posts: 224
I have covered my strawberries from the birds now that they are ripening. However, woodlice are taking a liking to them, even ones that are just turning pink and not fully ripened. Was very disappointed when I went to harvest my first picking earlier this week, only to have to cut the nibbled bits out.
I know that they are definately woodlice as there were still some of them in situ!
Any suggestions gratefully received.
0
Posts
What you have is a classic case of secondary attack. The fruit is nibbled by a mollusc (snail or slug) then the woodlice move in to the nice wet interior. Deal with the molluscs and the woodlice cannot easily damage the fruit. Their mouth parts are not strong enough to get through the skin.
Doubt if it's woodlice they only feed on decaying material, more likely to be strawberry seed beetle, pop a jam jar into the ground, they'll fall in, you'll catch the woodlice too and keep the patch weed free.
Thanks All - Have put appropriate measures in place!
I'm overrun with woodlice as the borders were filled with cheap wood chips by the landlord, but I've found them to be helpful. My strawberries are struggling, with maybe three berries thus far!
As a child I used to collect woodlice and put them in my dolls house much to my parents horror. I thought they were like little people (but I digress - sorry).
Same! only I had a castle, with a cannon that shot plastic balls. I used to imprison the woodlice in the dungeon...
heh... Normal little girl I was not.
ive always called them cheesy bobs, not sure why