IT'S ON!!

The deceased - inspection prior to composting

The Pill Bugs really escalated things Today, they took it to a level I had hoped to avoid.  Only recently had I accepted that the little shits will chew on the lower leaves of my pea plants, maybe even snack a bit of spinach.  While none of this made me happy I had resolved to leave-them-be after feeling I won the last battle by removing the live sod acting as their fortress and launch point for attack.  With the sod cleared I turned the dirt and (hopefully) obliterated copious amounts of young and breeding-age bugs.  This, I assumed, had sent a clear message that I mean business and will kill indiscriminately if pushed.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT!!

You know what they say about assumptions...

I'm a fool for misjudging my opponent, for making assumptions about an enemy I only recently began to study and understand.  A fool for thinking that anything less that total annihilation would be sufficient!

They killed my snow pea plant, they sucked and chewed away at it's vulnerable stem until it finally gave up, unable to provide water and nutrients to it's top growth it had been tiring for weeks to grow.  I came upon the deceased slumped on it's trellis mesh, limp, pale green baby pods already beginning to curl in the heat of the intense sun... flower petals still clinging to the tips as if not yet ready to send the pod into the world alone.

Brothers, not even 2 months old...

A quick observation of surrounding plants and their stems at soil level proved what I suspected, and deep in my heart already knew; the pill bugs did this.  I took immediate action to protect the living while simultaneously plotting my attack.  This aggression will not stand (extra credit to cinematically-enlightened soul that guesses that movie reference!!), I will not sit idly by while my prize snow pea plants (and who's to say the Spinach aren't next?!) are reduced to compost greens!




OK, I ran out of steam and interest on this post.  If you happened to be enjoying up to this point I'm sorry, but it's late and I'm tired and sleepy.

Maybe too little too late?
A cut up soda can installed as a physical pill bug barrier.