Insecticide For Pill Bugs

Let’s face it, if you live in an area that has seasonally hot, humid weather, then you’re most likely going to encounter pill bugs. If you’re not sure what these pests look like, they’re also known as Sowbugs or Rollie Pollies. They are brown or gray in color, have a waxy shell for protection, and can survive for up to 2 years. It is important to keep both the house and backyard in good condition because the pill bugs use any dirty spot as a breeding area.

Insecticide For Pill Bugs

The common pillbug, Armadillium vulgare, is a familiar inhabitant of mulched gardens and flower beds. Sometimes called “roly-polies” because of their habit of rolling up into a tight ball when disturbed, pillbugs are small (generally less than 1 cm-long), brownish to grey-black in color, and armored in appearance. The head and abdomen are relatively small, but the thorax is composed of seven overlapping plates. There are seven pairs of legs.

Damage

In most years pillbugs content themselves in feeding harmlessly on decaying vegetable matter in and on the soil. However when abundant–as in years of high rainfall–they can become a significant pest of landscape plants. Most feeding takes place in the evening or at night. Feeding pillbugs readily feed on small garden plants, and new transplants can be eaten to the ground overnight. Some of the plants attacked include hosta, pansies, blue lobelia, cardinal flower, English primrose, Allyssum, Dahlberg daisy, zinnia, verbena, and blackfoot daisy. Garden vegetables are also susceptible, especially strawberries and other plants with fruits that contact the soil. During the day, pillbugs can be found in moist areas under mulch or leaves and vegetable debris of all kinds. Cooler portions of compost piles can also harbor large numbers of pillbugs. Pillbugs often bury themselves several inches beneath the soil surface to avoid hot, dry conditions. Pillbugs are prolific, giving birth to 30-80 young per brood. In Texas pillbugs may produce two to three generations per year. Adult pillbugs are relatively long-lived, with some surviving several years.

Control

The best way to eliminate pillbugs is to destroy their breeding and hiding sites. Eliminate unnecessary piles of leaves, grass clippings and mulch. Flower pots, planters, dog houses, firewood, bricks or other objects that sit directly on the ground should be elevated to allow air-flow and drying underneath. Adjust irrigation systems so that the soil around your home has a chance to dry between irrigations. When abundant, pillbugs can enter homes and become a nuisance. This can be prevented by careful sealing of doors and cracks in foundations. Pillbugs are harmless and can be removed by hand, or by vacuuming. They rarely survive more than one or two days indoors, due to lack of moisture.

Pesticide sprays, granules and baits can help control pillbugs outdoors. Permethrin insecticide is more effective than acephate (Orthene) or carbaryl (Sevin) sprays. Other pyrethroid insecticides, such as cyfluthrin, esfenvalerate or lambda-cyhalothrin should also provide control. Always follow label directions, especially when applying slug and snail baits, as these products can be harmful to children and pets if misapplied.

Insecticide For Pill Bugs

The pill bug is a small, slow-moving creature that is often confused as an insect. It has a hard, rounded shell on its back and moves by rolling over its body. Pill bugs are omnivorous creatures that eat both plants and animals. They’re most commonly found in moist areas like lawns, gardens, mulched beds, and under rocks and logs. Sometimes they can be found indoors when they get trapped inside during the winter months.

Pill Bugs are not harmful to humans but they can cause damage to your garden by feeding on plant roots or breaking down mulch. The best way to prevent them from eating your plants is by keeping the area clean; removing any dead plants or leaves from the ground will help control their population levels over time. You can also apply an organic insecticide such as neem oil which works by poisoning their bodies so that they cannot reproduce quickly enough to sustain their population growth rate

List Of Insecticide For Pill Bugs