Small Gray Bugs in Compost

Millions of them. Maybe billions. Lots of legs (10 or 12), less than a half inch long, they are shaped kind of like a football, they do not fly, but scurry madly about. Only started noticing them the last few weeks. Only thing I remember doing differenly lately is that I have chipped up a lot of carob pods and added them. The pile is usually around 90 - 110 degrees. Occassionally I can get it up to 140, but I do not have a ready source of grass clippings, which is what seems to really get it cooking.

Should I be concerned about these bugs?

TIA.
Mary

Are they pill bugs?

Karen

pillbugs http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-49,GGLG:en&q=pill+bugs&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

Karen, I don't think they are pill bugs. Their bodies look flat - from the belly to the back. I also looked at sow bugs in your link and thought maybe it was them but not them either. Any other ideas? I can try to get a picture, probably best.

Assassin bug?

Karen

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/Insect_Galleries_by_Order/all_orders_real_life_pix/hemiptera/assassin_bug/assassin_bug1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/Insect_Galleries_by_Order/all_orders_real_life_pix/hemiptera/assassin_bug/real_assassin_bug.htm&h=480&w=640&sz=50&hl=en&start=3&sig2=e_2L2-3kBgWP9qT_N6cb0w&um=1&tbnid=rB9XnYz7g2X1HM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=_efIRsasIZqSjgG1obn3DA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dassassin%2Bbug%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLG,GGLG:2006-49,GGLG:en%26sa%3DN

Nope. Definately not the assassin bug. Whew! That guy sounds deadly.

I believe these bugs are sow bugs. This link has the best picture

http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/147/

The following link has more info and it sounds like they can decimate a garden patch.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/142/

Any idea how to get rid of them in a veggie garden? It's time to plant my seed starts into the ground but these bugs are holding up the works.

Thanks for any help.

Sow bugs are attracted by water. Letting the garden/mulch dry out may help. You may need to fork the area to dry it. Good luck, Cathy

Thanks Cathy. I am looking for a more immediate (I want to plant my veggies garden now) and permanent (won't the sow bugs come back when I water the plants?) solution. How do organic gardeners keep pests like these at bay?

I've looked at several websites, and they all said sow bugs are good in a compost heap, that they are digesting the things that haven't finished composting. Because your heap isn't hot, they are helping.

I'm not an expert, but torn up newspaper may help heat it up, and would soak up excess moisture. Sow bugs have gills and have to be in contact with moisture all of the time.

Or maybe if you spread your compost in your garden for a day in the sun it will dry it out so they move on?

I've never had sow bugs actually eat my plants, but because they dig in the ground, they can knock over new seedlings.

Maybe someone smarter will have better help. Good Luck!

Based on your first paragraph, I'll dig deeper (pardon the pun ;-)) ) than just reading the bug files here on DG. My 'seedlings' are hardy and I doubt they will be knocked over. They are well past time to plant in the ground. I"ve been waiting for the temperatures to come down below 100. We're finally there! Thanks for taking the time to reply.

This message was edited Sep 24, 2007 4:19 PM

Got the compost pile up to 152 degrees today. Any self-respecting bug ought to be bugging out of there!! Also let it dry out some and that helped too, certainly reduced the number of them.

Wonderful news Mary!