How to Get Rid of Pillbugs and Sowbugs?
Pillbugs and Sowbugs – What’s the Difference?
Although the two species are quite similar, pillbugs (Armadillidium vulgare) are distinguished by their ability to roll up into tight pill-like balls. Potato bugs & roly-polies are some of the other names for pillbugs.
Sowbugs (Oniscus asellus) are slightly larger and flatter than other bugs, and they can’t curl up into a ball. They will flee if they are disturbed and seek cover. Sowbugs also have a tail-like feature that pillbugs don’t have.
Life Cycle
Females lay eggs, which are carried in a pouch beneath the body. The eggs hatch into young sowbugs and pillbugs, just like the adults. After hatching, the young stay in the pouch for up to two months. They mature in about a year and breed primarily in the spring. They can live for up to three years and have three broods.
Are pillbugs and sowbugs useful?
Both of these garden insects an important ecological role in the outdoors, breaking down dead garden plant debris and providing organic nutrients to the soil. When you add a thick layer of mulch to your garden, you should expect and welcome the coming of sowbugs and pillbugs, who will break down the organic matter into nutrients that plants can consume. Songbirds, toads, and other small predators prey on pillbugs and sowbugs, which is good news for nature enthusiasts.
The presence of these organisms indoors serves as a warning that rotting materials are present. This condition must be handled to prevent the degradation from spreading.
How to Get Rid of Pillbugs and Sowbugs?
Use hollowed-out potato
When dealing with a small number of pill bugs, half a cantaloupe or a hollowed-out potato placed upside down as close as feasible to where the bugs have been detected can be used to trap them.
Keep your place dry
Both sowbugs and pillbugs require moisture to exist, the first step is to make the environment they are in less favourable. The simplest method is to use a dehumidifier to dry up the area. The next step is to eliminate hiding places around your house. Remove grass cuttings and leaves, and if at all possible, keep boxes, wood, and flower pots off the ground.
Cover Damp Areas With Diatomaceous Earth
Sprinkle DE (diatomaceous earth) on portions of a concrete slab or basement floor that are frequently wet to absorb moisture and kill pillbugs and sowbugs. The DE also acts as a repellent, as bugs find crawling on it uncomfortable.
Spray With Garlic Solution
Pillbugs and sowbugs commonly evacuate moist floor areas after being sprayed with a homemade pest control spray using garlic/water mix. A similar effect can be achieved with a pepper solution.
These are a few DIY methods that may help to get rid of it. If you think the problem is out of hand, you can ask for professional pest control help.