Pill Bugs are more commonly known as roly-poly bugs. However, as cute as the name is, they are equally disastrous, especially for your garden. If you are trying to grow good and thick foliage in your backyard, then the chances are that these bugs will most likely destroy and eat away at all your garden growth at an exponential rate. They aren’t necessarily a threat to humans but one of the biggest threats to your garden.
Wondering how to get rid of Pill Bugs? Typically, the process isn’t as compromised or difficult. With the right measures, you should be able to get rid of them without hassle. Some people who notice the Pill Bugs in their gardens often leave them for the first few days because they actively break down and aerate the soil. You can do that as well. However, make sure that they don’t proliferate during that period.
Also read: How to Get Rid of Spider Eggs? | Kill them before they Hatch
This article will explore some of the top methods by which you can get rid of Pill Bugs from your garden or backyard.
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When is the Right Time to Get Rid of Pill Bugs?
As we just mentioned, Pill Bugs aren’t the worst thing to have in your garden. A few lingering around in your garden soil will help aerate the soil, break down the tough particles and help with eventual plant growth and proliferation, so it is technically good for the soil health.
However, similarly, you need to keep an eye out for infestation. If the Pill Bugs grow out of control and start to infest without control, eating away the leaves and damaging the garden, that is when you need to take substantial measures to stop the infestation immediately.
Also, if you find Pill Bugs inside your home, it is a sign that there is some kind of water leak inside your home. Since Pill Bugs need the constant presence of water to live, this is a big sign that there is something wrong with the water system.
List of Ways to Get Rid of Pill Bugs
Now that you have a basic understanding of Pill Bugs and their behavior let us focus on the ways to eliminate them from your home. Ideally, the process isn’t as complicated, provided that you are doing things the right way.
1. Start by Making a Beer Trap
Beer or any sweet and sticky drink will easily lure the Pill Bugs into the trap. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money to get rid of these pests, this is the easiest and one of the best DIY methods that you can opt for. The process is simple. All you need to do is find the spots in the garden where the Pill Bugs frequent the most.
Once you find those areas, dig a hole enough to hold a beer bottle in a way that the opening of the bottle stays above the ground. Fill the bottle halfway and leave the bottle in the soil for a consecutive few days. The beer in the bottle will easily attract the bugs, trapping them in the liquid.
2. Make the Area Less Inhabitable
No living organism wants to stay in hostile environments. The same goes for the Pill Bugs too. If you make the environment less inhabitable, they will either move out of the spot or migrate to somewhere that isn’t as threatening to their existence.
Since Pill Bugs are attracted to moisture, water, and dampness, you need to get rid of such spots from around your home. You can check for water or pipe leakage in your house and around the perimeter of your home too. Also, if you don’t tend to your garden and let dirt, dry leaves, and much accumulate, work on eliminating them from your garden immediately.
Another factor you need to be mindful of is being cautious about the amount of water you give to the plants. Anything in excess will become a feeding ground for the bugs. So, if you are implementing how to get rid of Pill Bugs, this method works.
3. Move & Scoop Your Plants Around
Ensuring your plants are getting enough oxygen and air circulation around their exterior in a way that keeps the Pill Bugs away. As confusing as it sounds, it somehow works and works in a very constructive way. Ensuring that the plants are getting enough air prevents unnecessary Viney growth of the weed and trellis around the plant.
Also, when you are gardening around the backyard, make sure you trim out the excess from around the plants, get rid of the weeds, wood branches, sticks, and strips that are littered around the garden. These excess items create leverage for the bugs to infest further.
4. Check Inside Your House
Not just the garden, Pill Bugs can, unfortunately, infest inside your home too. And, since we are so focused on checking just the outdoors, we forget to look inside. The roly-poly bugs are attracted to water, dampness, so if there are leakages and some kind of dampness inside your home, it will attract these bugs in some capacity and encourage them to grow and multiple.
It is up to you to check the insides of your home, especially the moisture-prone areas, and ensure that you don’t have an infestation growing already. If you find one, act quickly and remove them immediately from the spot. The last thing you want is to let them grow.
The easiest way to get rid of the Pill Bugs is to ensure that you get rid of unwarranted dampness and moisture accumulation in and around your home. This is what makes all of the difference.
5. Get Help With Diatomaceous Earth
You might not know about this, but the use of diatomaceous earth is very common and prevalent across pest removal grounds. This is an organic pest repellent that is not harmful to humans and the animals that you could have at home. This means that using this is comparably safe for your children and pets, unlike other pesticides that you generally come across.
The diatomaceous earth is made as a powder from the different combinations of fossilized aquatic organisms. When you sprinkle it on the pests or when they come in contact with this powder, it dries out their body immediately, leading to their death. However, you can accidentally snort the powder, which can be irritating. So, wear masks and use gloves while handling this.
6. Control Humidity
Another common contributor to heightened Pill Bugs infestation in your home is excess humidity inside the house. Since the bugs prefer humid and moisture-infused areas, it isn’t surprising that they feel a lot more comfortable multiplying and infesting humid areas.
What you can do to eliminate that is by installing a dehumidifier in your home. This will keep the moisture levels in the air in check and prevent unnecessary infestation of these pests in your home.
7. Maintain Cleanliness
Like most pests, even Pill Bugs are attracted to areas in the house that are dirty and very badly maintained. If you want to keep them out of your garden or even your home, you must keep your house clean. Avoid growing weeds around your garden. Clean the backyard from time to time and ensure that you declutter things, so it doesn’t pile up and become a breeding ground for the bugs.
Ideally, if you have a lot of weeds and mulch and even dead leaves and fallen fruits on the ground left as it is, you need to take immediate charge of the same and clear out those spots. Inside your home, clean and vacuum the areas and make sure you get rid of any kind of moisture sources inside.
If you are looking for how to get rid of Pill Bugs, we hope this article clarifies all the effective ways. If nothing works with the DIY methods and the infestation is growing at an alarming rate, it is always ideal to consult a professional exterminator to get rid of them.
Also read: How to Get Rid of Wolf Spiders? | 8 Potent Remedies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Vinegar Kill the Pill Bugs?
While the strong smell of the vinegar can act as a repellent in keeping the Pill Bugs out of the house, they don’t necessarily kill the pests for good. So, you need to be mindful of the same.
Why is My House Infested with Pill Bugs?
The most common reason you have Pill Bugs in your home is the high moisture levels in the house. Just ensure that you keep a check on leakages.
What is a Natural Way to Get Rid of Pill Bugs?
Sprinkling cayenne pepper is quite an effective way to naturally get rid of the Pill Bugs.
