There are many ways how to get rid of roly-poly bugs in gardens and homes, and I will be sharing some valuable tips with you.

Rolly Pollies can become a menace to your garden plants if they occur in large numbers. If they run out of decayed matter, which is their major food source, they may turn their attention to the roots of your young garden plants and begin to feed on them.

This of course can cause them to be malnourished and eventually die.

Keep reading!

About Roly Pollies / SowBugs

These bugs love relaxing in gardens, as that is a perfect environment to get both food and shelter. They feed mainly on the decayed matter but can switch their diets to young plant roots if their favorite meals become scarce.

If they occur in very large numbers, then the damage they will do to these young plants will be irreparable.

You can find rolly pollies (also known as pill bugs hiding under leaf debris, rocks, and other damp and.dark areas.

They can also make their way into your home in search of food and water. If they are dehydrated for as long as two days, then they will die. They are creatures that are heavily dependent on water for survival.

Luckily, these pests do not bite nor sting humans, so we are safe in that regard.

They also do not damage household structures. Nonetheless, they are a nuisance in the home and to garden plants so they must be gotten rid of.

How To Get Rid Of Pill Bugs In The House And Garden

A small number of pill bugs may not pose a threat to your garden plants, but when they are large in number, food will become scarce and they will start to eat the roots of young plants in your garden.

Follow these tips to get rid of pill bugs in your garden.

Reduce Moisture In The Garden Floor

Pillbugs love moisture and their lives depend on it. Without moisture or water, they will be dehydrated and will die. What you can do here to control their population is to reduce moisture on your garden floor.

A quick tip on how to do this is to make sure the mulch around your garden plant is coarse. If it is, then when you water your plants, the water will easily flow through the mulch and into the soil.

This is the same for rainwater. Coarse mulching will allow rainwater flow through and into the soil, thereby reducing dampness in the garden floor.

You should also check for leaking faucets in your garden, as this can cause your garden floor to be moist 24/7. Check all garden plumbing and fix as many leakages as you can find.

The less dampness there is, the less of them you will find in your garden.

Clear Out Old Wood Piles

If you have old tree stumps in your garden piled up, then you are simply leaving a hiding place for the pill bugs.

Old and decayed piles of wood are a perfect relaxation spot for these pests. It is dark and moist and they will enjoy being there.

To reduce the pill bug population in your garden, ensure that it is free of such hiding spots. Clear out old piles of leaves, branches, and tree stumps to reduce their hiding spaces.

Burn the tree stumps and other leaf piles. Do so responsibly and according to the laws regarding lighting fires in your state.

Use Natural Predators

Pillbugs are renowned scavengers, so they are used to invading territories and taking what they can. However, they aren’t predator-proof, and certain creatures would enjoy feasting on them.

One such creature is birds. Insects are among a small bird’s favorite meals, and juicy pill bugs will do just fine. You can attract birds to your garden through certain means.

You can scatter birdseed all across your garden, especially in areas where you find pill bug activity. The birds will fly down to eat the birdseed, and guess who they will come in contact with? The pill bugs!

The birds will gladly eat them up for you and thank you for the extra meal if they could.

Another way to attract birds to eat the pill bugs in your garden is to install a birdbath right in your garden. As the birds come down to have a drink or wash off their wings, they will spot the pill bugs and feast on them.

Other natural predators you use to reduce pill bug population include toads, frogs, lizards, lacewings, and ladybugs.

All of these predators are sold commercially so.you can buy them and introduce them to your garden.

The good thing about using natural predators to remove pill bugs is that it is 100% natural and harmless to the ecosystem.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

One of the worst substances a pill bug would want to come in contact with is Diatomaceous Earth.

Earlier in this article, I have mentioned how pill bugs are heavily dependent on moisture and water, and how they will die if they are without water for as long as two days.

Well, Diatomaceous Earth is a real moisture drainer and will suck the moisture right out of pill bugs and they will die.

All you need to do is to buy some diatomaceous earth and sprinkle it across your garden leaves and the topsoil surface across the garden.

When the pill bugs make contact with the diatomaceous earth, they will.start to become dehydrated immediately. This substance sucks the moisture right off the bugs and they will be dead in no time.

Considering that pill bugs are small insects, the DE will work even faster on them. The granules of DE are also laced with sharp, microscopic edges that can cut open the bodies of the pill bugs and cause dehydration to happen faster.

Diatomaceous Earth can also act as a repellant against pill bugs. After it has eliminated the previous set of bugs, some of the powder will still.be left on the garden soil and the leaves of the plants and no pill bug would want to come near it.

Use Garlic Spray

Garlic is another powerful weapon that can be used against pill bugs. It is great for humans to eat, thanks to all its health benefits, but it is a total disaster for pest insects to come close to.

This is because garlic has sulfur, which has a repelling effect on insects. The scent is so harsh, that we humans cannot stand it sometimes. You can make a simple garlic spray and use it to fight off pill bugs from your garden.

All you need to do is get as many cloves of garlic that can cater to your garden and grind them using a blender. The garlic should be ground to a point where it takes a powdery form.

After that, the next step would be to pour the garlic powder into a pot and boil it. Doing so will allow the water to suck out some of the garlic’s sulfur for better spraying results.

When it is boiled, allow it to cool off a bit then pour the solution into a.spray bottle. Visit your garden and.spray the garlic solution across each plant and the garden floor.

If there are any pill bugs on your trees, they will disperse as you spray on them. The garlic solution on your garden floor will also mean climbing off the tree isn’t just where it stops, it also means the pests have to leave your garden as a whole.

After the water from the spray evaporates, the particles of the garlic will remain in the garden and this will help repel other pill bugs that are planning to invade.

If you want to spice things up, then you can add some cayenne pepper to the garlic solution spray. Cayenne pepper burns very hotly and most pest insects will not be able to withstand its effects.

Remove All Decayed Matter From Garden

Rolly Pollies love feasting on the decayed matter, and leaving such laying on your garden floor is a huge invitation for them to come over and stay.

Examples of decayed matter in the garden include dead or rotten fruits, algae from rotting branches, etc.

To reduce the pill bug population in your garden, ensure that it is free of decayed matter.

Call A Professional Pest Control Service

If the Roly Pollies have become too much for you to handle, then you can assign responsibilities to the professionals who will know exactly what to do.

This is the most expensive means to control pests in your garden, but you will have a sense of assurance that the situation is being handled by experts with many years of disinfestation experience.

The pest control service will visit your garden and do a thorough assessment of the situation. After which they will decide on the best line of action to follow.

Professional Pest Control for Sow Bugs

This is one of the most widely used pest control options.

One reason why it has remained relevant for long is because trained and experienced professionals are involved. You can handle your sow bug problem effectively by seeking professional help.

So, why do you need professional sow bug control? The reason is simple; when these bugs get into your home, they’re likely to come in droves,, which can be overwhelming to deal with on your own.

Plus, sow bugs could seek shelter in hard-to-reach areas of your home,, thus making it increasingly difficult to deal with.

Professional help takes care of that as these technicians are well trained to manage all pest issues and challenges. Apart from that, they’re well equipped to deal with the problem.

You only need to point to the problem and let them fix it.

  • Tips for Hiring a Pest Control Company

In almost all industries, one fact remains:: the coexistence of competence and incompetence.

The pest control industry isn’t any different. You’ll need to hire the right hands when calling for professional help for your sow bug problem.

There are tips to follow when hiring a pest control company. These include paying close attention to experience. The more experienced, the better. Is the pest control service licensed?

You need to work with one who is. What more? Consider asking for references and reviews.

It’s also essential to compare rates and charges between pest control services as this allows you to get the best possible rates. Insurance is a big deal when it comes to pest control.

So, does the company have insurance cover? This will save you from any liability.

Quality guarantee is another thing you need to be sure of. We recommend only hiring a pest control service that guarantees their sow bug treatment services.

Lastly, you need to factor in the type of product used. Are they safe? Ask the company about such products.

Conclusion

Often mistaken for bugs, sow bugs are crustaceans known to live on land.

These are considered nuisance pests due to their behavior during adverse weather conditions. Such adverse weather conditions include hotness or dryness.

During such times, sow bugs get into homes for shelter.

In terms of damage, sow bugs aren’t known to cause any. Also called woodlice or isopods, sow bugs are opportunistic creatures that explore available openings to get into homes.

Entry points include cracks in openings on the foundation and exterior walls. Sow bugs can also squeeze through spaces underneath sliding glass doors.

This article looked at ways to get rid of this nuisance.

Here, you’ll learn all the basics of sow bug control. To take back complete control of your home, you can choose and implement any of the methods most suitable to you.

Follow the tips on getting rid of roly-poly bugs to solve the problem.

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