Pill bugs are cutesy creatures that roll up into a ball when threatened. They are practically harmless and don't pose any threat to your household. However, without any natural predators, these bugs are considered pests. They can also scare the kids, given their appearance. You can get rid of pill bugs by tidying your home and the application of pesticides (If you need more tips, read this excellent article and learn how to keep your house clean). By doing so, you are ridding your home of a serious annoyance.
Home Cleaning
Inside
Pill bugs will flock a home if it has numerous dusty and damp areas, which are conducive for their existence. They feed on decaying matter and nourish themselves with the water found in moisture. To not attract a flock, you must clean your home thoroughly. Regular cleaning is a good for solution for removing pill bugs and other house pests. Clean all dusty areas, including your drawers, closets and cupboards. Give special attention to your carpets and rugs, since they attract both dirt and moisture. Wash and vacuum them properly, so pill bugs won't settle on or beneath them.
Outside
Cleaning your home's exterior is a bit easier, but still tedious. The garage and the lawn are usual problem areas, given the frequent appearance of dirt and dust. Not drying the puddles after watering the plants often gets the swing vote of pill bug flocks to stay in the area. Make it a point to sweep your garage and walkways at least once a week. When watering your garden, wipe the puddles on the cemented or wooden areas. Pill bugs will then find your place too clean for them to stay and create a battalion.
Pour Sand on Pill Bug Havens
If you find a location that is often visited by pill bugs, pour sand on it. Sand is disliked by pill bugs and harmful to soft-bodied pests like slugs and snails. You can also spread sand around your garden to contain the pests, preventing them from entering your home. Just arrange the sand patches stylishly, so they won't wreck the theme of your home.
Insecticides
Insecticides are formulated to kill house pests, including pill bugs. With proper application, you can eliminate almost all kinds of insects around your household. You, however, should wear safety gear when applying such chemical solutions. They are toxic and some products can irritate your skin upon contact. Just apply as instructed by the product labels. Don't forget to keep your pets away from there areas where you applied an insecticide, since it can poison them. The preferred insecticide types to control pill bugs are:
•organic insecticides
•granule insecticides
•aerosol insecticides
•liquid insecticides
Make sure you research on a particular insecticide before applying it on your garden. Some are simply too harsh many garden plants, so you should be mindful.
Divert Their Attention to Your Garden
Pill bugs infesting your home is a signal that they don't find much nourishment outside. You can add decaying vegetable waste, which is the primary food of pill bugs, on your garden. The bugs will then leave your home and transfer to the areas with vegetable waste. As a result, the garden soil will be richer, since they will devour the waste, including the ones you didn't add. Remember to monitor the population of the pill bugs on your garden. An overpopulation of those pests may damage your garden plants.
Apply Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is a well known substance for eliminating pill bugs. Its potently formulated powder bits can damage the bugs' cuticles and causes them to dehydrate, killing them in the process. You should know, the substance is also harmful to both pets and humans. Wear the appropriate safety gear and plot strategic yet safe locations before applying.
Apply Slug Bait
Slug bait, for some reason, also works well against pill bugs. Put some Sluggo on a pill bug-infested area and watch how it draws out the insects. When you have collected them all, dispose of the bait to get rid of those house pests. Your home will finally be free from slugs, snails and pill bugs. (Want to know a slug bait made from beer, Learn how to make beer traps for slugs)
Set Cobweb Traps
Pill bugs are often caught by spiders through their cobwebs. Instead of raising spiders, remove cobwebs from the ceiling and the discreet corners of your home. Set them on the area where you often see pill bugs. After a few moments, you'll see a number of pill bugs trapped on the webbing's strands. Sweep the cobwebs off once they have collected a sizable number of bugs.
Combine Some of the Methods
Pill bugs may be harmless to humans but they can do a number on your plants and some of your home appliances. You should clearly know how to get rid of pill bugs and you can through the aforementioned strategies. You can even combine some of them to garner optimum results. If you enjoy reading this article you'll surely enjoy reading how to get rid of bed bugs, eliminate june bugs and exterminate love bugs.