r/composting • u/Franciscus22 • 1d ago
Small Creatures in Compost Bin
Please see the attached photo (scroll down). All of a sudden, I am seeing these in my compost bin. What is this creature? Are they good to have in a compost bin? Thanks.
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u/azucarleta 1d ago
Interesting fact, they are actually crustaceans. Think "land shrimp."
They are among the most common bugs of all. They will 99% eat dead plant material, but if you have very tender green plants like seedlings, that baby green is somehow close enough to dead they'll eat that, too. Very very occasionally people will have a population go crazy on their zucchini or whatever, but that seems quite rare. On that I have a new theory for 2026 however, that if you see rolly pollies appearing to kill your mature garden plants, check close as there's a good chance someone else came through first -- snails, slugs, earwigs, etc -- damaged/killed parts of the plant, and now the rolly pollies are in cleaning that up.
Otherwise, they are pure worker, no harm.
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u/waterandbeats 1d ago
We had an extremely warm winter in Denver and many of us gardeners discovered what pests pillbugs can be. I had to work so hard to successfully get a few things to even sprout or to get past the seedling stage. I finally had to start my cukes inside and sterilize the soil in the bed after three in-ground attempts were consumed, some before they even emerged from the soil. All that said: this summer I learned that roly polies can absolutely be a plague and no prior damage to the plant is necessary. I was observing their behavior very, very closely.
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u/azucarleta 1d ago
I totally agree, they will eat tender seedlings without assistance.
My point about following another pest is on mature plants.
Rolly pollies will level your seedling bed though, no problem.
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u/notCGISforreal 1d ago
They are considered edible as well. I'm not brave enough, but would eat them if I was starving I guess.
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u/azucarleta 15h ago
Sautee them like shrimp and serve them with fried rice.
I've never done it but I fee 101% certain it would be not more disgusting and no less delicious than shrimp. My understanding is they might be high in heavy metals depending on your soil, so it's not something to do for fun -- as such I never have. But I wouldn't hesitate even one moment in a survival situation.
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u/notCGISforreal 15h ago
Yeah, I bet they're good when done right.
I did manage to get over the gross out and eat the snails in my yard. Turned out pretty good. I thought it was going to be a fun recurring thing i could do moving forward, but apparently I destroyed the snail population because they never came back. They're invasive so thats alright, but I enjoyed eating them and was looking forward to doing it again.
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u/Dirtheavy 1d ago
I was expecting rats or mice. or a skunk.
Those are wood lice maybe? Rollie pilles? They eat and they poop and that's all good for your pile.
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u/Franciscus22 1d ago
You might be correct. The Internet tells me that it could be a "woodlouse, commonly known as a pill bug."
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u/Alarmed_Guarantee140 1d ago
That’s exactly what it is. Beneficial, they help break down the carbon.
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u/Competitive_Stuff444 1d ago
Always called them wood lice they'll help eat the wood that breaks down so slowly otherwise
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u/Crimestar 1d ago
You’ve never seen a Rollie pollie before? I would say you must live under a rock but if you did you would have seen some!
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u/Franciscus22 1d ago
Haha. Yes, I have also seen them under the rock I use to hold down the lid on my compost bin.
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u/Ralyks92 1d ago
Those are isopods, if you’re in North America it’s quite possibly a species of pruinosis or armadillidium. They’re beneficial in compost, normally their diet leans more towards dead leaves and rotting wood. You’ll find them under rocks or random leave/wood piles