It’s interesting and shows the power of names, because when I was growing up I only ever heard them called woodlice, and didn’t hear the name pillbug. So I kind of just always assumed they ate wooden structures and it was the rest of their diet that surprised me. Like I find them in fallen apples now that we have an apple tree and I didn’t expect that!
Comment on sadtrombone.wav
flora_explora@beehaw.org 1 day agoNatural cave systems don’t have as many animals in them either, because there are just not enough nutrients around for larger populations to establish. (Exceptions are to this are caves where birds or bats nest in large colonies and there you can find huge populations of other animals feeding on the feces for example.)
I don’t think the spiders necessarily feed on pillbugs though. At least I haven’t observed that yet. I’d think spiders would either feed on other spiders or on any flying insects getting in the garage.
Oh and something new I’ve learned from Wikipedia about pillbugs:
They have also been observed eating wood supports in houses, making them a house pest.
Maybe check for that if there are so many in your garage?
jessica@beehaw.org 1 day ago
tyler@programming.dev 17 hours ago
I’ve seen their desiccated corpses in spider webs so I’m pretty sure that’s how they’re dying.
Yes there’s a woodworking shop in my garage lol so that would explain it nicely. Though I’ve never seen them on any of the wood.