Natural Pill Bug Control

by Michael O'Brien

These prolific little critters, also know as sow bugs, may be considered pests by many folks but are generally harmless. Pill bugs may appear in great numbers but are not known to do any damage in or around your home. Pill bugs are found mostly outside but can occasionally make their way into your home. Since no one wants to see bugs in the house, controlling these insects usually involves dealing with conditions outside that favor their lifestyle. Sow bugs are not known to carry or spread diseases or bacteria.

Pill bugs look like tiny little crustaceans and have can roll up into tight little balls when exposed to light or otherwise disturbed. This shrouds the bugs in what amounts to an armored shell. Pill bugs feed on organic material and not attracted to live plants so they won’t damage your landscaping. If sow bugs as present, you can usually find them under rocks, mulch beds and other damp places around the exterior of your house.

Controlling these harmless pests can be accomplished largely without the use of chemical pesticides. The key to controlling pill bugs is to eliminate the dark, moist areas around your home. By eliminating the habitat for pill bugs, you may also reduce the problems with more harmful insect pests that favor the same environmental conditions as the harmless pill bug.

Keeping pill bugs and other insect pests out of house involves a visual inspection of your home’s exterior. Carefully check around the base or foundation of the house for cracks and crevices that can allow insects to enter. Caulking compounds and self-expanding foam products can usually do the trick and can be found at your local hardware or home improvement store where you can also get advice on how to properly apply the product. Since you will be going to the trouble of sealing up the base of the house, it’s always a good idea to check any window and door screens making sure that they are in good repair. This will also make it harder for other insect pests to find a way into your home.

If pill bugs have found their way into the house they can usually be found in dark damp places under cabinets, sinks and in the basement. Be sure to repair any water leaks or other sources of moisture. Humid weather can cause condensation to form on cold water supply lines. If you find this to be the case, be sure to wrap the pipes with an appropriate insulation product which can be found at your local hardware or home improvement store.

Next look around for areas where moisture can accumulate. Make sure that the gutters and downspouts are in good order and that any rain water is draining away from the base of the house. Damp soil around the foundation combined with rocks, grass and mulch can make for inviting pill bug hangout. You may tolerate a few pill bugs in favor of mulch beds or other types of landscaping.