Potato Bugs...

mom22wins · Postby **mom22wins** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:19 pm

I took Sammy out in the yard for a while today to enjoy this beautiful day. When I lifted up a rock there were dozens of little potato bugs under it. She went spastic and ate about 8 of them in 5 seconds flat! After I stopped laughing, it occurred to me that they may be bad for her. I know I should keep her out of any garden area due to the possibility of pesticides. But are there any insects that I should keep her away from?

Does anyone know if potato bugs are bad for bluey's? They eat vegetation and are actually in the millipede family. She ate a good amount of them...

Here's a pic of the insect I mean when I say "potato bug".

Phantom · Postby **Phantom** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:24 pm

I've never heard them called potato bugs, I've always called 'em roly polys or pill bugs.

mom22wins · Postby **mom22wins** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:29 pm

Yeah, I read a couple different names for them: pill bugs, woodlice, millipedes, potato beatles, etc. :wink:

Jenn · Postby **Jenn** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:40 pm

I've never heard them called potato bugs either!! Both Saphira and Spike have eaten many pill bugs and are just fine.

NomadOfTheHills · Postby **NomadOfTheHills** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:52 pm

I've heard them called potato bigs

Pillbugs are a terrestrial isopod, a type of crustacean, and although look like they could be a millipede, they actually arn't

Postby **Zach** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 7:21 pm

I ONLY called them potato bugs growing up!

I've never heard anything bad about them...just be careful because they are in the wild, so be aware of contamination/poison sources that the bugs could be/have been exposed to...

DeadEye · Postby **DeadEye** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 7:25 pm

There fine slatters ..They lie under anything on the ground there an ancient bug -Good tucker Pill bugs :tasty:

They do roll up like a ball ..Here called Slatters np at all yumm

Fatal_S · Postby **Fatal_S** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:54 pm

I don't get it? People call too many bugs Potato bugs. For example:
Potato Bug (Beetle) - found eating plants such as potatos and rasberries in gardens:

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef304.asp
or
Potato Bug - a shy, nocturnal, ground-dwelling species that tends to only be seen when wounded or dying.

http://dracoverdi.net/pages/potatoBug0.html
or of course the Potato Bug shown above, aka the Pill Bug. Make up your mind people!

Oh, well we're on this topic, does anyone know if Potato BEETLES (aka the first picture I posted) would be okay to feed to my BTS? I can get a large amount from an unpesticided garden at my friends cabin. Her mom just puts them in a bin and tosses them right now, cause they're a big pest to her potatos and rasberries. Can I use these as feeders for a treat?

Blotch · Postby **Blotch** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:30 am

dead eye - slatters are also called butchy boys!

Geoff Gates · Postby **Geoff Gates** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:15 am

I feed them to baby blueys. Unsure of the nutritional value but blueys love them.

I would often find them under the water bowls in the outdoor pit. The blueys (both young & old) would wait for me to lift up the bowl and chow down.

Postby **Zach** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:45 am

That big thing on the bottom looks like a Jerusalem cricket!

Leigh · Postby **Leigh** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:52 am

Looks like a fat ass wood ant to me Zach

mom22wins · Postby **mom22wins** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:08 am

As a child, I was always looking at bugs under rocks in the garden. I always liked these little bugs as a kid. I guess because they were non-threatening. And I think of them as pre-historic little armadillos of the insect world.

It's funny how we all have different names for insects, depending on where we live. I had a feeling that would be the case. That's why I posted the pic.

I'm so glad they aren't toxic to bluey's or anything. But I am going to take your advice, Zach, and be careful about where they come from.

Tattoo · Postby **Tattoo** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:04 am

Eeeeekkk!!! Too many bugs :nervous:

But I suppose if it wiggles or crawls blueys would love it. :shock:

LittleFoot · Postby **LittleFoot** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:55 pm

I always called them rollie pollies.

That last bug pic looks like a termite.

Postby **Zach** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:49 pm

mom22wins wrote:As a child, I was always looking at bugs under rocks in the garden. I always liked these little bugs as a kid. I guess because they were non-threatening. And I think of them as pre-historic little armadillos of the insect world. It's funny how we all have different names for insects, depending on where we live. I had a feeling that would be the case. That's why I posted the pic.

I'm so glad they aren't toxic to bluey's or anything. But I am going to take your advice, Zach, and be careful about where they come from.

Yeah! I had a ball as a kid playing with these things! Good luck.

Brigget · Postby **Brigget** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:16 pm

I have never called them anything but rollie pollies. i am interested in finding my blues some bugs i cant find any under my rocks

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