Sowbugs & Pillbugs
Isopoda, Armadillidium vulgare
General Information
While sowbugs and pillbugs don’t bite, spread disease, or damage property, these creatures can be an unsightly presence if they make their way inside your home. Find out where they hide, what they eat, and how to help get rid of sowbugs and pillbugs.
- Both pillbugs and sowbugs are slow moving and most active at night.
- Sowbugs are often confused with pillbugs. However, pillbug species can curl into a ball when disturbed or threatened, which is how they got their nickname ”roly-poly.” Unlike pillbugs, sowbugs cannot roll into a ball.1
- Other names for sowbugs and pillbugs include roly-polies, potato bugs, and woodlice.1
- Sowbugs and pillbugs aren’t technically bugs at all. Both of these critters are actually part of the crustacean family, which includes lobsters, crabs, crawfish, and shrimp.1
Size
Color
Bite or Sting
Wings
Commonly mistaken for
Additional details
- Sowbugs and pillbugs frequent areas with lots of moisture, such as under trash, rocks, boards, decay, or just beneath the soil surface.
- Mulches, grass clippings, and leaf litter often provide the decaying organic matter that these bugs love to hide in and eat.
- Pillbugs and sowbugs typically live outdoors, but they occasionally wander inside looking for moisture or a better place to hide.
- If these crustacean critters make their way inside your home, they’ll typically invade damp spaces and may infest potted plants.
- Neither pillbugs nor sowbugs will damage the home or transmit disease, so they are mostly viewed as a nuisance.
- Some species may feed on cultivated plants and tender seedlings, but they rarely cause significant damage to gardens beyond leaving small, ragged holes in the leaves.1
- Keep compost piles and decaying vegetation away from the house.
- Caulk and seal windows and exterior doors to help keep pillbugs and sowbugs from entering your home.
- If you notice sowbugs or pillbugs in damp areas of your home, try running a dehumidifier to make the area less humid, and therefore less appealing to them.
Solutions for Sowbugs
Raid® Multi Insect Killer kills flying and crawling insects fast. Designed for use in and around the home, it delivers effective pest control with a fast-acting formula. A dual-purpose aerosol designed to control both flying and crawling insects in various environments, including inside the home and outdoor areas such as patios and gardens.
Highlights
- Fast killing action, effective even with one direct spray
- Kills flying and crawling insects
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
- No harsh smell
- May be sprayed directly onto plants (with care)
Raid® Crawling Insect Killer Super Fast Odourless delivers instant knockdown action, killing crawling insects quickly on contact. Its odourless formulation provides effective control without leaving a harsh smell. Designed for targeted application, this aerosol can be sprayed directly onto insects or into hiding places such as cracks, crevices, and under appliances where crawling insects live.
Highlights
- Super fast killing action on contact
- Instant knockdown action
- Kills crawling insects effectively
- Odourless formulation with no harsh smell
Raid® MAX Cockroach Specialist Killer kills crawling insects on contact and is designed for targeted application in areas where insects are present in and around the home. Can be applied directly to insects or onto surfaces where crawling insects are present, including cracks, crevices, and entry points.
Highlights
- Kills cockroaches instantly on contact
- Maximum protection for heavy infestations
- Kills cockroaches and the eggs they carry for up to 4 months*.
- Flushes out hidden cockroaches.
*on glass surfaces
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