Pillbug (Roly-Poly)
Also known as roly-poly, woodlouse. Armadillidium vulgare
Armored crustaceans that roll into a ball and migrate indoors from moist mulch and debris.
Pillbug (Roly-Poly) (Armadillidium vulgare) is a low-concern pest in Florida homes and yards. General pest control in Florida's Treasure & Space Coast is handled by Rhino Pest Management, a local, licensed (#JB242881) and insured company rated 5.0★ across 16 Google reviews. Ask for a free estimate at (772) 589-6842.
Photo: sunny (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons
About 12–19 mm, dark gray, dome-shaped with seven pairs of legs and an armored, segmented shell. Roll into a perfect ball when threatened — the defining behavior. Related to shrimp and crabs, not insects.
Moist organic matter: mulch, decaying leaves, under landscape timbers and flowerpots. They require consistent moisture and are common in heavily mulched Florida landscapes.
- Gray armored bugs rolling into balls when touched
- Clusters near the foundation, under flowerpots, in mulch and leaf litter
- Pillbugs indoors in ground-floor rooms, especially after rain
Pillbugs are completely harmless — no bite, no sting, no disease transmission. They feed on decaying plant matter and are a soil health indicator. Indoors they die quickly from dryness and are only a nuisance.
Is this urgent?
No. Pillbug (Roly-Poly) is a nuisance, not a threat to your health or your house. Most people fold it into a regular service visit rather than booking a special trip. If the numbers keep climbing after you've dealt with the moisture and food sources, that's when it's worth a call.
Rhino treats the foundation perimeter and advises on reducing the deep mulch and moisture that sustain populations near the structure, which stops the indoor migration.
Our General Pest Control serviceMore occasional invaders
Silvery, fish-shaped insects that damage books, paper and starchy items in dark, humid areas.
ViewPincher bugs that shelter in moist garden debris and wander indoors in wet weather.
ViewLong, cylindrical, many-legged arthropods that migrate indoors during heavy Florida rains.
ViewScientific source
For the biology behind this page, the University of Florida's IFAS Extension publishes a detailed Featured Creatures profile of this species — free to read, and written by entomologists in this state:
Pillbug, Roly-Poly, Woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille) — UF/IFAS Extension