How to Stop Pill Bugs From Eating Strawberries

Remove plant debris from around the strawberry plants, including decaying leaves and fruits. Pill bugs thrive and breed in decaying matter.

Sprinkle a fine layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth around the strawberry plants. This product kills pill bugs by drying out their exoskeletons. Perform this task on a calm day, and wear a mask so you do not inhale the fine dust.

Apply a 1/2- to 1-inch layer of straw, cardboard or another type of barrier around the strawberry plants to prevent pill bugs from reaching the plants.

Hand pick pill bugs when you see them on the fruits and leaves. Drop them in a bucket of soapy water to kill them. Alternatively, wear gloves and squish them between your fingers.

Shake a ready-to-use pesticide product, such as one that contains carbaryl, that is labeled as safe on strawberries and effective on pill bugs. Spray to wet the plants and soil, holding the bottle eight to 12 inches away from the target areas. Wait at least one week before reapplication. Do not apply pesticides within one week of harvest. Also, do not apply when the temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Reduce irrigation after your strawberries start to ripen. At that time, water the plants after the soil dries to the touch. Pill bugs are especially attracted to ripening fruit and moist soil conditions.