Slaters

photo: ausbonzai

Latest Update 13th April 2020.

Slater

• Porcellio Scaber are known in Australia as slaters or pill bugs. In other parts of the world they are known as woodlouce (UK), sowbugs (USA) or soilbugs (NZ).
• They play an important role in breaking down organic waste materials, but unfortunately they are not averse to feasting on sprouting seeds, young shoots and seedlings.

Details.

• Binomial Name:                                   Porcellio Scaber.
• Family:                                                  Porcellionidae.

Why Slaters are a Pest.

• They are a mixed blessing in an Ecobed. The moist conditions in the Ecobed's worm farm make a fine habitat, and they prosper doing an excellent job of shredding and breaking down the organic waste.
• Unfortunately, they stray into the growing areas of the bed often attracted by mulch on top of compost, and munch on any soft green plant tissue they can find.

Control.

• I keep numbers down by using (organically approved) iron chelate based snail bait scattered lightly where seeds have been sown, and new seedlings recently planted. 
• I don't broadcast the bait since I am not interested in eradicating the slaters.