Woodlice

From: Steve Alton (S.Alton@rbgkew.org.uk)
Date: Thu May 06 1999 - 03:41:35 PDT


Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 11:41:35 +0100
From: "Steve Alton" <S.Alton@rbgkew.org.uk>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg1553$foo@default>
Subject: Woodlice

Dear All,

My Sarracenias have had, possibly for as long as the last 10
years, an infestation of woodlice (Armadillidium sp?) in the pots.
This doesn't seem to have affected the plants too badly (or I would
have done something about it), but it makes repotting unpleasant.

So - do woodlice cause damage (other than giving me the creeps)
or are they just detritivores?

And how can I get rid of them? I assume they can't swim and so,
because the pots stand in water for much of the year, each pot
must have its own isolated colony. Do I a) wait until, Tepui-like,
each pot evolves a new exciting species of woodlouse, b) wait until
they die out from the genetic results of inbreeding, or c) poison the
buggers? If c), what with?

Help me - they're icky!

 
Steve Alton
UK Co-ordinator - Millennium Seed Bank
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Wakehurst Place
Tel: 01444 894079
Fax: 01444 894069



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