Identifying Pill Bugs
Pill bugs are named for their ability to curl in tight pill-like balls.
Sow bugs also can’t curl up into a ball like pill bugs.
They hide under rocks or burrow in the soil.
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They feed primarily on decomposing organic matter, such as damp paper and cardboard.
They also eat feces, algae, moss, bark, fungi, and other weakened pillbugs.
You may find a random pill bug roaming indoors, but it usually won’t last long.
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If you have an infestation indoors, it’s typically near leaks and rotting wood.
They serve a valuable function in breaking down dead wood materials that return nutrients to the soil.
These bugs may migrate indoors into damp basements orcrawl spaces, usually entering the home at ground level.
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Drying up moist areas is more effective than chemical sprays to eliminate pill bugs.
Fix leaks and damp spots around your home, on the roof, and in the walls.
A pepper solution also offers similar benefits.
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Spray where the ground meets the foundation.
Ordinary insecticides may not work since pill bugs are crustaceans, not insects.
Spray the solution in areas where youve noticed the pests indoors.
Pepper sprays work, too.
A pill bug infestation is annoying but not dangerous.
Pill bugs do not bite, and they are considered innocuous and harmless.
Clean up damp spots to get rid of pill bugs.
Sweep pill bugs out of your house to get them out fast.
Then remove damp piles of boxes, paper, or wood.
Use a commercial insecticide with the appropriate formulation for larger infestations.
Pillbugs and Sowbugs.North Carolina State Extension Publications.
Less Harmful Pesticides.Penn State Extension.
