Sow bugs are know as woodlice, pill bugs, roly poly bugs but they are not all the same bug in the garden. All you have to do is call Landmark to open up a service request, pay a small service call fee of $60-$100, and then a pest control specialist will come to your home and help you reduce your sow bug and pill bug infestation. Sowbugs also have two tail-like structures on the rear end that pillbugs lack. The most common places to find them are in gardens and flower beds. You can also take a look at information about other pests Landmark’s pest control plans cover by going to www.landmarkhw.com/resources/pest-control. THE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.LANDMARK HOME WARRANTY DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, AND YOU SHOULD CONDUCT YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND/OR SEEK THE ADVICE OF APPROPRIATELY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS WITH REGARD TO YOUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION. They live under rocks, logs, mulch, wood chips and all around the home where it is damp, dark and moist. Purchase or rent a dehumidifier machine. Also, make sure that you keen some sort of buffer zone around your house (15 to 30 centimeters should usually do). Place the machine into an area of the home where the humidity is highest, or where you see the most sow bugs appear. Controlling Sow Bugs and Pillbugs The presence of sow bugs or pill bugs in the living quarters of a home is an indication high moisture conditions. The overall appearance of sowbugs is often compared to that of armadillos because they are both dark grey or slate in colour and have an armoured look about them. Then vacuum them up and you will not see any more bugs trying to come in as there will not be enough humidity for them to survive. And there’s a reason for that. The sticky webbing is one of the most obvious signs these insects have set up home. These pests reproduce in the soil, and when the population gets large, the damage to your plants becomes noticeable. Removing logs, boards or boxes under which sowbugs hide will also help. While sow bugs and pill bugs are two of the most common types, however, they are not the same. Sow bug control begins with cleaning up debris in the garden. Finding a pill bug in your home can be an important early warning sign of water damage. They are the only crustaceans that have adapted to living their entire life on land. Behavior and Habitat of Sowbugs. They vary from gray to brown to almost purple in color and have seven pairs of legs, elbowed antennae, and a segmented hard shell-like covering, similar to that of an armadillos. Click and share using the buttons below: crustacean that has developed the ability to live on land! Reduce moisture or humidity level indoors. On some occasions, pill bugs and sow bugs can also be minor nuisances and annoying pests in the home, but will not actually do any damage to one’s house. Sow bugs and pill bugs do not pinch, bite, or sting. If tiny bugs are flying around your houseplants, they're most likely spider mites or fungus gnats. The odd one or two won’t hurt your garden but a large number of them can be very destructive in your garden. This includes patching any leaks from pipes that might be causing damp areas inside your house and caulking windows and doors. And when they do, spotting one in … However, if you notice they are thriving in your home or living in parts of your home where there’s a lot of wood, this may be a sign of wet interior wood. In fact, they are types of woodlice, an isopod crustacean, which means they’re more closely related to shrimp. Run the dehumidifier constantly for two to three days. It also could mean that there is too much decomposing material close to your home. The houseplants are susceptible to many of the same pests that attack plants outside. Because sow bugs love mulch so much, it is a good idea to move all the mulch away from the plant foundations in flowerbeds. Have the basement and foundation areas checked immediately for water seepage. Pill bugs and sow bugs cannot survive in a house for more than a day or two if they do not find any damp areas to serve as their homes. This removes moisture from the air that the sow bugs need to survive. Kimberly Johnson is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in various online publications including eHow, Suite101 and Examiner. These woodlice have lots of common names, such as armadillo bugs, pill bugs, sow bugs, roly-polys, roll up bugs, chuggy pigs, wood bugs, doodlebugs, potato bugs, slaters, gramer sows, butcher boys, boat builders, carpenter bugs, and cheese logs. Reduce moisture or humidity level indoors. Make sure the foundation of your home isn't covered with decaying rotting plants, and leave a five inch barrier around the foundation of your home where there are no dead leaves, shady bushes, or garden mulch. Step 3 Walk around the exterior of the home and look for cracks and openings near the foundation of the home. Sowbugs, millipedes and centipedes are not actually insects, but are arthropods related to insects. They are NOT harmful to people, food, clothes, furniture, or other items within homes. Experience what over 70,000 homeowners already know: A Landmark Home Warranty helps provide protection for your home and budget! Step 3. Sow bugs are small, about 1/2″ to 3/4″ in length, gray in color and oval. Seal these well using caulk or expanding foam spray. How to identify Sowbugs. There’s the Castile Soap solution. Pill bugs and sow bugs like to inhabit moist dark areas with dead, decomposing plant material to eat, but they have been known to eat seedlings and seeds off of fruits and vegetables. Clear away any ground clutter next to your home, such as piles of brush or firewood, and try to keep plant beds from becoming too damp. You can usually find them living in things like wet boxes, newspapers, or leaves inside of your basement or garage. Then help control them with pest control services provided through Landmark Home Warranty. Green; 10 Bugs That Are Living in Your House—and How to Get Them Out! If you already have an infestation of sow bugs and pill bugs inside of your home, you will need to de-humidify your home, as well as clean up any piles of wet, organic material the sow bugs and pill bugs might be nesting and feeding upon. Pillbugs and sowbugs are distinguished from insects and other many-legged creatures by the adults having seven pairs of legs. Step 2 Seal any cracks in doorways, window sills and foundation vents with caulking to prevent pill bugs from entering the house. Usually if you’re seeing sow bugs or pill bugs within your home, it means your garden or yard outside is ripe with the perfect food and habitat for these pests and they have just accidentally wandered indoors. Like the article? If you have a home warranty plan through Landmark that includes pest control, you can get rid of a sow bug or pill bug infestation in your home. Once the source of moisture is gone, the pill bugs will soon follow. Granules: Step 2. Sow bugs are actually crustaceans and will appear anywhere that high levels of moisture are present. Pill bugs, though, are aptly named because they tend to roll up into a sphere when feeling threatened. Continuous use of a dehumidifier will keep the sow bugs out of the home. Get a dehumidifier and put it in the room that you see the most sow bugs. Sowbugs typically live in damp areas and feed on decaying plant material. Since they have gills they need moisture to breathe. Homemade Bug Spray for Houseplants. These crustaceans also feed on the outer skin of fallen vegetables and fruits. The appearance of sow bugs inside the home is an indication that the home has moisture problems. You can customize the coverage and pricing to fit your needs. Sowbugs and pillbugs are similar-looking pests which are more closely akin to shrimp and crayfish than to insects. Most other woodlice, sow bugs included, cannot fold themselves up for protection and must rely on their hard exoskeleton to provide a barrier between their soft interior and predators. They also don’t eat wood, contrary to their family name of “woodlouse.” Usually if you’re seeing sow bugs or pill bugs within your home, it means your garden or yard outside is ripe with the perfect food and habitat for these pests and they have just accidentally wandered indoors. This prevents any additional bugs from entering the home. Sow bugs have flat, pointed ends to their body segments, fourteen legs, small round heads, and jointed antennae. https://www.terracastproducts.com/6-harmful-house-plant-bugs-get-rid Bifen LP Granules would be an additional treatment around the house to serve as a barrier … She has a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and began writing professionally in 2001. LANDMARK HOME WARRANTY ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY, FOR YOUR USE OF ANY AND ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. Input your information and get a free, personalized home warranty quote. Pay particular attention to debris near or against the foundation, as this is often a … However, they do not bite, sting, or transmit diseases, and they don't infest food, clothing, or wood. For more information on this pest control service, you can compare Landmark’s pest control plans here. If you see sow bugs in your home that usually means that there is a large infestation around the outside of your home. Luckily, pill bugs and sow bugs are not much to worry about as they will quickly die indoors due to a lack of moisture. Sow bugs can invade homes in large numbers and will invade the hard to reach areas making finding, treating, and eliminating all invaders hard to accomplish. Want to Let the Pros Handle It? The house centipede's bite will not cause any serious harm to pets like dogs and cats. They will most likely spray around your foundation, under siding, in utility openings, and any place where moist habitats can breed hiding grounds for sow bugs and pill bugs. It also could mean that there is too much decomposing material close to your home. But nobody wants that place to be in their home. Generally you may see hundreds or thousands of them emerge when you attempt to do some gardening and begin to disturb the soil. Sowbugs are omnivores and feed on both decaying plants and animals. Additionally, sowbugs eat the roots and stems of some garden plants. They also chew fruit, succulent plant parts, seedlings, and vegetables that touch damp soil. If you clean your home and reduce this type of clutter, you can prevent future generations of sow bugs and pill bugs from setting up shop in your home. Bugs, like all creatures, have their rightful place on this earth. This condition will also contribute to a number of other problems including mildew, wood rot and a good breeding environment for other insects. Unfortunately, sow bugs and pill bugs thrive in moist areas of your home and seeing a thriving population indoors could spell bigger problems than just an infestation of sow and pill bugs. Landmark provides comprehensive home warranties for homes in. Sowbugs and pillbugs live in moist environments outdoors but occasionally end up in buildings. Getting help from a pest control expert that has experience eliminating sow bugs is the most effective way to get rid of an infestation. The presence of sow bugs or pill bugs in the living quarters of a home is an indication high moisture conditions. Stack firewood on concrete blocks or on a metal firewood rack. You can always do preventative maintenance to your home to reduce the chances of pill bugs and sow bugs coming into your home. Don't miss out on our monthly newsletter! However the most common symptom on the plant is mottled leaves with lots of little brown dots. With a dehumidifier it will take out the moisture in the air and dry up the bugs. Sow bugs are often mistaken for pill bugs which they closely resemble. Aphids, mealybugs, scale insects and mites are a … Sow bugs enter homes on the ground level and may enter first floors, basements and crawl spaces; they cannot survive indoors for more than a few days. Adult pillbugs and sowbugs have a … Note:Pillbu… Bugs belong outside—but they somehow always make their way into a crack or crevice you weren’t expecting. Sow bugs like moisture, so make sure that leaf debris (leaves hold moisture and hides the bugs) is cleaned up from around the outside of your house. Unfortunately, they can also sometimes invade homes. While the sowbug diet can lead to damage, it is not likely to kill large amounts of flora. To avoid infecting your houseplants, never plant them in garden soil. Identification. Sowbugs and pillbugs frequent areas with lots of moisture, such as under trash, rocks, boards, decay, or just beneath the soil surface. Sowbugs and pillbugs can sometimes enter damp areas of your house in large numbers. However it's best to seal all cracks and crevices to prevent them from entering the house to begin with. They are the only type of crustacean that has developed the ability to live on land! Removing any grass clippings, mulch, rotting wood and leaf litter around the foundation of your house will help keep the area dry. U-shaped with rounded edges to make it easier for them to roll into their pill shape, seeing a thriving population indoors could spell bigger problems, decaying rotting plants, and leave a five inch barrier around the foundation of your home, www.landmarkhw.com/resources/pest-control. By using a combination of tactics, kill the insects found in the dirt and other areas of your houseplants so that they continue to thrive. Read on to find out how to get rid of sow bugs in an organic garden. Sowbugs mate throughout the year, with most activity occurring in the spring. Sign up to get tips on everything about home ownership, from maintenance tips to home selling advice delivered to your email once a month. Rake up and remove dead plant matter, bricks, wooden planks and anything that gives sow bugs in the garden a protected place to hide. Some bugs that are found in the dirt, such as springtails, can just be irritating, while others insects like mealybugs are known to seriously injure the roots, leaves and overall health of your plant. Learn more about common household pests that could be living in your house! There are numerous types of woodlice. They also breathe through gills, so they need lots of moisture in their habitats. Sow bugs and pill bugs aren’t really bugs at all! Similar in appearance, sowbugs and pillbugs (3/4 inch long) are slow-moving oval-shaped crustaceans that more closely resemble crayfish, shrimp and lobster than insects. They are found in moist, decaying leaf litter or other organic material found around building foundations. Any internet research you’ve done up … As they require moisture to survive, spotting an infestation of pill bugs near pipes or portions of wall can be an indication that repairs are needed. This condition will also contribute to a number of other problems including mildew, wood rot and a good breeding environment for other insects. Turn off the humidifier and use a vacuum to suck up the dead sow bugs that are left inside the home. Walk around the exterior of the home and look for cracks and openings near the foundation of the home. The difference between the two is that a pill bug, often referred to as a Roly Poly, can roll into a ball, while a sow bug cannot. Both pill bugs and sow bugs have a hard, ridged, and plated exoskeleton, but pill bugs' shells are U-shaped with rounded edges to make it easier for them to roll into their pill shape. Potted plants, even those kept indoors, make ideal habitats for insects. All woodlice have jointed exoskeletons that look a bit like armor. Instead of chemicals, use a caulking gun to close any cracks or crevices at or near ground level. If you can’t seem to get rid of the sow bugs or pill bugs, you will want to call a pest control professional. Mulches, grass clippings, and leaf litter often provide the decaying organic matter that these bugs love to hide in and eat. The female carries the eggs, numbering from 7 to … Purchase or rent a dehumidifier machine. How to Get Rid of Sow Bugs in the House Step 1. Potted Plant Bug Infestation Solutions. And doors hundreds or thousands of them emerge when you attempt to do some gardening and begin to disturb soil! 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