What do slaters eat?

Slaters, also known as roley poleys or pill bugs, eat decaying vegetation, dead organisms, mulch, vegetables, leaves, fruit and fecal matter. They eat their own waste to replenish their copper stores. A slater is a type of decomposer that breaks down the dead animals and plants in an area so that nutrients can be returned to the soil.

If a pillbug does not have a large supply of decaying material to feed on, it will feed on healthy vegetation instead. Even though the bug does eat healthy plants at times, it is generally considered an asset to a garden and an ecosystem. These bugs also help control stink bug populations, and they help keep the soil rich with nutrients.