What Do Rollie Pollies Eat?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 06, 2023

Rollie pollies, or woodlice, are scavengers that eat nearly any soft decaying matter, including fallen wood, grass and leaves. They also eat fresh vegetables, ripe fruit, fish food and even crumpled cardboard.

Aside from decaying materials, woodlice need copper to live. In areas where food is scarce, they will even begin eating the roots and stems of a variety of plants. Rollie pollies are crustaceans with a rigid, segmented body and 14 legs. They live between two to five years in wooded areas where there are plenty of damp leaves and mulch. Rollie pollies sometimes make their way into homes when vegetation runs close to the base of the house.