Pill bugs are mainly regarded as seasonal intruders as they try to find shelter in houses & buildings or basement. They prefer an open environment, especially pretty moist & humid location to survive. These pests may look like they belong to Arthropods or insects.
But to be amazed they belong to Crustaceans as they have learned living on the land instead of waters. They have more similarities with Cray fish rather than insects.
Pill bugs are .25 to .5 inches long. They consist of seven pairs of legs, two pairs of antennae although one pair cannot be easily observed. They survive in wetted places & can live up to three years.
They specially feed from the wasted & decomposed organic particles from the plants like leaves. They are usually safe for humans, but can be harmful for plants in the garden as they are scavenging for food.
4 Useful Tips To Eliminate Pill Bugs
1 – Close Fractures/Holes
One of the best way to retain pill bugs from houses or homes is Exclusion or building them out. This can be done by closing all the fractures, cracks & holes of the foundation. Fixing the cracks around the vents, doors & windows also protecting screens & keeping the doors & windows shut.
The foundation should be given more importance because pill bugs mainly get into the homes from here. All the possible entrance of pill bugs should be closed. The walls should not have any hole. If any entrance is seen immediate action should be taken. In this way pill bugs can be prevented from entering the house. This is a preventive measurement.
2 – Humidity
Humidity is another important factor. Humidity control can be another way to get rid of pill bugs. As they need moisture to survive on open ground. By reducing the moisture we can prevent them from surviving or reproducing.
In this way they can’t even get into houses. This can be done by repairing wet & damp houses’ pipes, underground rooms, fractured grounds etc. Proper drainage system should be implied as water can’t gather near the foundation. Lower humidity and moisture content will lessen the production of pill bugs. This one is also a preventive measurement.
3 – Sanitation
Proper sanitation also prevents pill bugs from homes. They will gather in the middle if waste water is not handled properly. Exerting waste water away from the home is very useful for keeping these bugs away as they also try to find food in these areas too.
Waste water needs to be cleared off and dumped immediately. There should be a proper sewerage system for waste water clearance. People should maintain hygiene.
4 – Use Pesticides
If pill bugs enters the home, pesticides will not be that effective. Instead, using vacuum cleaners & reducing humidity & proper sanitation will be more effective to kill these bugs. Pesticides are also harmful for human. So they should be used wisely. If there is a kid in the house, pesticides can never be an option.
For exterior, pesticides are the best for controlling pill bugs. Chemical pesticides should be used with great caution & instructions should be followed properly. Pesticides can be utilized around the ground external doors, under vents & utility holes. Also applying pesticides around the perimeter of houses or homes can be very useful for getting rid of these pests from homes.