BS: What do you call woodlice?

Subject: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: *Laura*
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:22 PM

Apparently the different nicknames for woodlice is one of the biggest dialect variations there is.
Im from Somerset, England and I always knew them as Billy Bakers.

Where do you come from and what was your nickname for woodlice?

xLx

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:36 PM

I don't know any other name for them but here is something to do with them:

"These recipes have been provided by a "Wild Foods" enthusiast. I couldn't bring myself to eat these creatures, however for those interested in survivalist foods here are the details. Apparently they smell of fish as they cook and add a crunchy texture and a slight fishy taste to the food. - Perhaps they should be mixed in a blender after killing and before cooking?

"Woodlice are raised on clean paper and fed with potato for a number of days before cooking. Before cooking they must be killed. This occurs instantly by placing in a sieve and dropping it into a pot of boiling water.

"In view of the size of woodlice I would suggest that it wouldn't be a profitable exercise to rely on them to provide enough food to survive on.

Woodlouse fritters Woodlouse sushi Woodlouse scones
Woodlouse fry-up "

Oh, Yum

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:39 PM

Are we talking about the little grey land crustaceans? If so, how about...

sow bugs

sow beetles

pill bugs

roly polies

potato bugs

potato beetles

All are used here in eastern USA

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:42 PM

sowbugs or pillbugs

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: *Laura*
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:43 PM

yup - the 'little grey land crustaceans'
pill bugs! I love it!

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:48 PM

wood bugs, sow bugs and pill bugs are terms used here on the westcoast of Canada. Jeez, I think if I were really hungry I would eat the potato myself, rather than feed it to a wood bug.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:51 PM

sowbugs and pillbugs mate throughout the year, with most activity in the spring. The female carries the eggs, numbering from 7 to 200, in a brood pouch on the underside of her body. Eggs hatch in three to seven weeks and the young are white-colored. They remain in the brood pouch for six to eight weeks until they are able to take care of themselves. There may be one to two generations per year, with individuals living up to three years depending on weather conditions.

These creatures live outdoors, feeding on decaying organic matter and occasionally young plants and their roots

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Cool Beans
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 01:52 PM

Well, let's see. There's Alice, Mary, George, Fred, Jose...

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:03 PM

In the West of Scotland we call them slaters.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:07 PM

Poor body hygene

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:26 PM

If I remember correctly, the dipping in boiling water is not just to kill them. They are loaded with urea. Would taste like...well exactly what you think...if not boiled first.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:43 PM

Yep Jim slaters is what we used to call them too, but you and I are from a similar background. My live-in housekepper calls them Monkey Peas, but she's from Kent so you have to make allowances.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:45 PM

Her in Dorset - Chiggi-Pigs.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Hamish
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:47 PM

Slaters in Dundee, too.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Fergie
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:57 PM

In Ireland we call them slaters also
Fergie

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:08 PM

"All are used here in eastern USA " TIA

Used in what way and to what purpose, Tia? I've lived in Virginia and in Michigan and I've never heard of it.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:20 PM

"Pea bugs" is what you will mostly hear from children in Kent, UK.

Little girls tend to say "Yeeuucchh!, but they do that with anything that has six or more legs, so I guess it doesn't count.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:29 PM

All these terms are used. I heard 'em all growing up in NJ, PA and RI

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: *Laura*
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 04:11 PM

no more billy-bakers?

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 03:10 AM

On the council estates around here. Wayne, Craig, Dean etc for the lads and for the ladettes Kelly, Chantelle and jailbait.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Sooz
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 04:52 AM

I've heard them called bibblebugs or coffin cutters.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: JennyO
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 06:09 AM

They're known as slaters here in Oz too. When my brother and I were kids, we used to call them piggies. We stopped short of giving them nicknames though. Then again, Sally Slater or Sammy Slater do have a nice ring about them :-)

I think they're kinda cute. Anyway, I don't have any plans to get rid of them. I've never seen them doing anything to my plants - I only occasionally see them hiding in dark damp corners minding their own business. So I'll live and let live.

And I won't be eating any either, no matter how you dress 'em up.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 08:58 AM

Leatherjackets.

eric

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 09:22 AM

Yup. "Pill Bugs" here in Texas. Eat them???!!! eeeeeee-ooooooooooooooooo grossssssssss.   Tw

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Alice
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 10:39 AM

So what are silverfish? Not sure if it is wood lice, but we (in Montana) call a grey crawly bug "silverfish".

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Alice
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 10:41 AM

Nope, did a search and silverfish eat paper and books and glue, not wood. I guess we call them woodlice.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: JennyO
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 11:24 AM

Here's a site showing the difference. If you scroll down to the bottom, the woodlice/slater/pillbug (Armadillidum vulgare) is second from the bottom, and the silverfish (Lepisma saccharina L.) is at the bottom right underneath it.

BTW the only place I've seen silverfish is occasionally in the bath. They don't seem interested in my books, so they can stay too.

Does anybody eat those?

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 11:47 AM

Leatherjackets are the larvae of the crane fly, which I also know as the 'daddy long legs', though some people confuse matters by calling long-legged spiders 'dady long legses'.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 01:10 PM

How about "earwigs". Do those things on their tails actually pinch? Why the ear in earwig?

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Megan L
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 01:41 PM

slaters in orkney too, not to be confused with the slaters of yarpha dashed fine familly and not a bit of armour plating in sight

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Matt R
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 01:51 PM

Rollypollies in Philly, or at least my family

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 02:29 PM

Earwigs: yes, those tail pinchers actually do pinch,doesn't hurt, but it is a firm pinch!

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 02:31 PM

Hey if you put pill bugs in the microwave and cook them for 3 minutes they are totally unharmed. They have great armor against microwave frequencies.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: *Laura*
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 11:12 AM

in SOmerset also - Bakers. on it's own without the billy.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 12:58 PM

I grew up in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire, UK) and I was always told, from childhood, that it was boring (perhaps that's why I like watching traffic lights change?).
Anyway, in terms of woodlice it probably is quite boring ... because we always called them ... woodlice.

I'll get me coat then...

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Peace
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 08:08 PM

I calls 'em "Those little thingies."

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Peace
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 08:13 PM

And yet MORE about this little darlin'.

Here

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 11:22 PM

Where I grew up in Newfoundland, we called them "carpenters".

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: *Laura*
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 11:54 AM

I found another one at Trowbridge - along the same lines as mine though -
Bakermen.

xLx

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 12:07 PM

Spot, Fido, Rover, and Fang.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 12:29 PM

Jenny O

I'll let the woodlice stay, since they're a principal "digester" of the woody yard waste that you'd otherwise have to clean up occasionally. They will occasionally chew the paper off of plasterboard, especially if there's a little dampness. "Termite inspectors" have been known to point out what they do as evidence of termite infestation - in order to sell a treatment contract; but the difference in kind of damage done is very apparent, and the woodlice don't generally eat anything that wasn't about to fall off anyway. They seem to require a certain consistent level of moisture, which is why they are seldom seen indoors.

The silverfish, at least in my area, usually are the actual culprit when people find their clothing or linens "moth eaten." They do attack and devour little holes in cotton, wool, linen, paper, and even silk, and can be very destructive. They are pretty secretive, so if you're seeing even a few you probably have a lot of them and should make sure that any fabric/fiber stuff in storage is securely sealed and/or treated to repel them. Relying just on tight seals is iffy, since they can get through very tiny cracks when small, and grow up in the stuff they're eating.

John

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: JennyO
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 12:53 PM

I hear what you're saying about the silverfish, John. So far I have not seen any evidence of them anywhere near my clothes or blankets or anything - only a couple in the bath, as I said. But I'll keep an eye out for them. You mentioned treating fabrics against them. What would you treat them with?

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Pistachio
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 02:18 PM

I'm with Jim and Eric - slaters and leatherjackets. I've found a few crossing my lounge carpet recently. They don't worry me BUT silverfish I'll kill! I had a 'colony' that appeared in my upstairs toilet a few years ago and slowly but surely I decreased the headcount...and 'touch wood' they've not returned (at least where I can see them). Such fast creatures - sorry for bug lovers - Please be assured I take spiders and other bugs out to the garden when my daughter screams having located them (19 yrs old)!
Regards, H

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 05:37 PM

JennyO -

I don't know of a treatment for the fabric itself. Of course if you wear it occasionally the silverfish tend to fall off and look for someplace dark.

The old fashioned treatment was to store the stuff in cedar boxes and/or add a few mothballs. Neither of these is a particularly good solution, especially with newer clothing items. Elastic materials stored in cedar often decompose fairly rapidly, and either of the common kinds of mothballs will decompose several of the synthetic fabrics.

If you're not opposed to modern chemical warfare, there are several "kitchen insect" products that generally rely on leaving a surface film that's toxic to anything small that creeps across it. You wouldn't put it on the stored stuff, but use it on floors, counters, and shelves where the stuff is stored. These products are generally less hazardous to the rest of the household than the general purpose bugjuices, and may retain effectiveness for a bit longer than the gp aerosols.

Several people here have favorite herbal repellants, but my experience has been that you do have to refresh them fairly frequently to get any consistent effect. I don't have a favorite to recommend.

Avoiding moisture, including high humidity, will do a lot to reduce bug populations; and avoiding accumulated dust and crumbs will help.

You can just stomp them when you see one, but silverfish are pretty fast once you've startled them ...

John

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 06:22 PM

What do you call woodlice? / Pet peeves

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 08:27 PM

my wodlouse is called Dave.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Gurney
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 08:57 PM

Woodpigs, when I was growing up in Warwickshire.

I've only ever seen Silverfish in bathrooms. Quick little fellows.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 10:20 AM

As a kid, I called them "armoured cars", if they're the ones I think you mean. Some of them could roll up in a ball to protect themselves. Interesting little things.

I only saw silverfish rarely, and found them even more interesting.

As for cockroaches, I knew one family who were housing at least 7 million of the little bastards. They were everywhere. You'd turn the light on, and watch the frantic scramble! Amazing and disgusting.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST,crazy little woman
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 11:09 AM

In Kansas City, we call them roly-polies, from the way they curl up when threatened.

Subject: RE: BS: What do you call woodlice?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jul 05 - 03:45 PM

As children, on my street in NJ, we called them armor bugs or sometimes armadillo bugs.