How to remove woodlice from an apartment, private house or greenhouse?

What do woodlice look like and where are they found?

The body of the crustacean is made of hard plates. Its length is 2 cm, consists of 7 parts. Each has a pair of legs. It has a dark brown (black) color. The peculiarity of these creatures is that they have gills, but they can also breathe on land. The places where crustaceans like to settle have high humidity.

The following types of woodlice are found in buildings:

• Rough: moves quickly, has a red tint. When in danger, it cannot curl up into a ball.
• Common: black, with a raised shell. Lives in damp places. During the period of threat, it rolls into a ball.

Habitats in houses

Woodlice usually do not breed in apartments; they lay eggs in damp basements and attics of apartment buildings, and come to people at night in search of food. In private houses they live in basements and eat vegetables.

In rare cases, woodlice and their eggs can be found in indoor plants, especially if the potting medium contains bark and leaves. For example, phalaenopsis orchids, which are grown in constantly moist pine bark, are attractive to them. They also do not ignore other plants with thick, fleshy leaves; they can cause significant damage to seedlings on the windowsill.

There is no data on other harm that domestic woodlice can cause. It is possible that, like cockroaches, they bring pathogenic bacteria from basements, but the guilt of woodlice in cases of human illness has not been proven.

Residents of the first and last floors most often suffer from invasions of these creatures. Woodlice rise from the basement through cracks in the floor, penetrate through openings in ceilings for water supply and sewer risers, and pass through ventilation systems. Due to the peculiarities of physiology, they appear only in damp areas - in the bathroom, toilet, kitchen.

Why do crustaceans appear and what do they eat?

Woodlice do not tolerate light and are active at night. Appear in rooms such as toilets and bathrooms. In houses they are found under wall coverings and tiles. On the street - under the roots of trees, in a pile of rotting leaves.

They feed on dirt in the crevices of the bathroom, particles of human skin, paper that has fallen and become wet, and rotting plants. If there are wood lice in the bathroom, how to get rid of them? Of course, contact the SES.

Crustaceans harm gardeners and flower growers. They carry diseases dangerous to plants. Cacti, orchids, and ferns—plants with weak roots—can suffer from them. They eat vegetables and fruits in the cellar. However, the activity of crustaceans helps enrich the soil and provide nutrients. And woodlice prefer decaying vegetation.

In damp conditions they reproduce and live for about a year.

Prevention measures

To prevent woodlice from settling in the house, it is necessary to create conditions that are unacceptable for them and, first of all, to ensure that there is no high humidity. To do this you should:

• Ensure good ventilation in the rooms.
• Dry things outside.
• Dry floor cloths and do not leave them wet on the floor.
• Take out the trash and wash the bin in a timely manner.
• Periodically inspect and treat indoor plants.
• Repair plumbing fixtures in a timely manner.
• Make sure that the hood in the bathroom is working properly.
• If cracks appear on the floor or walls, repair them immediately.
• Throw away spoiled vegetables promptly.

Traditional methods of extermination

Methods for exterminating woodlice

Woodlice live in the apartment, how to get rid of it? Crustaceans in the house are a signal that there is dampness in the building. If you eliminate it, the crustaceans will disappear on their own.

However, it is impossible to completely remove dampness from the bathroom, so you can try to destroy woodlice using “grandmother’s” methods:

• Tobacco, pepper. Dissolve soda, tobacco, dry red pepper in water (1 liter). Spray the liquid on the bathroom floor.
• Quicklime. If woodlice live in the bathroom, how to get rid of it? You need to fill half the bucket with lime, carefully (without splashing) fill it with water (2/3 of the bucket) and set it down. Quickly leave the room by closing the door. In a couple of days, all the crustaceans will die. You need to sweep the floor and ventilate the room.
• Place wet brooms in the corners of the bathhouse. The crustaceans will get into them. Collect brooms and run them over the fire. This way you can destroy woodlice.

Diet and reproduction

In nature, these arthropods feed on particles of moss, fallen leaves and tree bark, and the remains of algae and meadow grass.

In an apartment, woodlice can eat the roots of flowers, leaves of house plants, and various remains of organic food (crumbs, animal food, food waste thrown into the trash, scraps left on unwashed plates).

The lifespan of woodlice is short: 9-12 months. The female carries eggs in the folds of her abdomen, releasing offspring in plant tubs or flower pots.

Chemicals against woodlice

You can try to destroy uninvited roommates with the help of drugs:

• Taraxa. 1 gram of powder dissolves in a glass of water. The area where the insects are located is treated with a sponge or spray bottle soaked in the solution. The cost of a tarax is 80 rubles.
• Dichlorvos of the new generation “Varan”, which is odorless. Costs from 50 to 100 rubles.
• Getta liquid concentrate. The product is toxic to fish, so the aquarium must be hermetically sealed during treatment. The drug does not cause harm to humans. The action occurs when wood lice come into contact with microcapsules. The cost of 100 ml of the drug is 700 rubles.
• How to get rid of woodlice using Schabengel bait gel? The drug is in a syringe, which is convenient for reaching hard-to-reach places. The package contains 30 grams of the drug, and it costs 40 rubles. The volume of the syringe is enough to disinfect 3 rooms.

Why you should turn to professionals to get rid of pests

Residents of houses infested with pests often try to destroy woodlice on their own. But the following factors prevent this:

• Home remedies have almost no effect, and wood lice develop immunity to them.
• Some store-bought chemicals are toxic. If used incorrectly, they can cause poisoning.

Important: in order not to rack your brains about how to get rid of wood lice, contact the sanitary and epidemiological station. Professionals, using knowledge, experience and modern equipment, effectively destroy pests.

How to get rid of woodlice at the source of their infestation

As noted earlier, crustacean fires can be found in attics and basements. And here you can go two ways:

• The usual way . Simply take an insecticidal product and spray it in your attic or basement. By treating the room with insecticides, you can get rid of not only woodlice, but also other parasites that interfere with normal life.
• Using a smoke bomb . Be sure, if you choose this method, it is worth considering that the smoke bomb requires the component permethrin. When a smoke bomb is triggered, all woodlice will die, and the remains of the permitrin substance will fall on the surface, which will serve as a deterrent for the appearance of crustaceans in this room.

If we compare both of these methods, the first will be more effective than the second, since the insecticide has more advantages in killing parasites. If none of the methods described in this article help you, you can contact special services that specialize in eliminating woodlice at home.

Professional processing techniques

SES workers first inspect contaminated objects and select the most effective means and equipment for disinfestation.

Cold fog

Cold fog against woodlice

One of the effective and safe ways to kill woodlice is cold fog. The chemical solution used is at room temperature. It is sprayed using a generator. The solution in the form of tiny drops reaches hard-to-reach places. Forms a film on surfaces that is harmful to pests.

Cold fog is used during the initial stages of pest family development; in houses with access to perimeter walls; at production facilities.

Hot fog

This method is more effective than cold fog. The equipment generates steam from reagents selected for pests. Heated microscopic particles when sprayed turn into a cloud that settles, reaching inaccessible areas. Active components affect pests.

Hot fog is recommended for use in buildings that have a complex structure with many hard-to-reach places.

Complex way

It is best to destroy woodlice using a comprehensive technique. The use of different methods prevents the risk of relapse.

The action of hot fog gets rid of adult pests and larvae, while cold fog has a long-term effect on the remaining individuals.

How to kill woodlice: industrial means

Modern means designed for baiting various types of insects are excellent for getting rid of woodlice. There are currently several types of such substances on the market:

• insecticidal aerosols;
• spray concentrates;
• powders;
• insecticidal crayons (pencils);
• gels;
• sticky traps;
• fumigators;
• ultrasonic repellers.

Insecticidal aerosols

These include a variety of Dichlorvos, Clean House aerosol, Raptor for crawling insects, Combat Superspray. However, these substances are useful only when treating certain areas where large concentrations of woodlice are observed. These drugs are not suitable for ridding the entire house or basement.

Concentrated sprays

The most popular products are called Delta Zone, Taran, Xulat Miko, Tetrixy, Cucaracha, Get. With their help, the premises are treated by many representatives of disinfection services. Using these drugs, you can destroy woodlice over large areas.

Insecticidal powders

These preparations (Riapan, insect repellent Clean House, Fenaxin) are intended for scattering around the perimeter of the premises. The effectiveness of powders is not very high, since not all woodlice prefer to move on the floor. For this reason, their use is advisable only as additional control measures.

Crayons

Such products are ideal for use on vertical surfaces, where wood lice are more susceptible: a large amount of toxic substance adheres to their shell. Crayons and pencils are great as barrier agents that can be used to treat the spaces around where insects enter your apartment.

Sticky insect traps

This option is suitable as a preventive measure and is not used as a primary remedy. Using sticky traps you can catch single individuals, but this will not solve the problem of destroying all woodlice that have settled in the house.

Fumigator

Although fumigators are traditionally used against flying insects, they can also be used to control woodlice infestations. As practice shows, these devices are very effective and allow you to get rid of annoying crustaceans with regular use.

How can you poison woodlice: industrial products in the photo

Insecticidal powders can only be used as additional measures to combat woodlice.

Among all industrial products, sprays are best suited for killing woodlice.

Insect chalk helps protect your home from the recurrence of woodlice.

Insect gels can destroy only a small part of the woodlice population in the house

Insect traps, like sticky gels, remove only a small part of the insects that have settled in the house. Fumigator is an effective means of combating woodlice.

The ultrasonic insect repeller is useless and has no effect on woodlice.

Ultrasonic repellers are the least effective in combating woodlice, the use of which gives practically no results.

Attention! The use of chemicals in the fight against woodlice is highly effective, but most of these products are unsafe for humans and pets.

The use of chemicals gives results only after preliminary preparation of the apartment, which involves blocking access to wood lice from external sources. Otherwise, processing will be required more than once.

When choosing and using a chemical to kill insects, follow the basic rules:

• When examining the product on the counter, pay attention to its level of safety for people and animals, as well as the absence of unpleasant odors;
• Before using the drug, read the instructions carefully. If necessary, use respirators and rubber gloves to avoid poisoning.

According to observations, wood lice do not tolerate treatment with hot steam. Temperatures exceeding 70 °C are critical for their life. This control method can be used as an alternative to chemicals.

Additional Methods

Professionals know how to get rid of woodlice. To enhance the methods of hot and cold fogs, as well as prevention, the following measures are proposed:

Double dosage

The dose of the drug is increased or drugs with different effects are combined. Binary agents are used, which consist of various components.

The procedure is done when there is a large population of wood lice, the destruction of larvae (eggs) in hard-to-reach places, as well as individuals resistant to one of the drugs.

Barrier

Preventive actions. It is used to block the path of crustaceans from the outside: from the attic, basement, cellar, neighboring apartments.

The gel is applied to places where woodlice can move: water and sewer pipes. The procedure is carried out by SES workers; they know the routes of movement and ways to get rid of woodlice.

Reasons for appearance

Woodlice is a crayfish that can survive in dry conditions, but still breathes through gills:

1. They need moisture. The main habitat is damp places: basements, baths, sewers and others.
2. They hate the sun, so they prefer mostly dark places . And you can meet them at night.
3. They love raw wood very much. If there is organic waste in the yard, then these are ideal conditions for reproduction.

Cost of room disinfection

The cost of treatment depends on the area of ​​the premises and the size of the population. On average it is (in rubles):

Treatment of 1 room apartment

Benefits of contacting the sanitary and epidemiological station

The sanitary and epidemiological station employs professionals with specialized education and work experience. We use certified European drugs and modern expensive equipment. All products are safe for human health.

We fill out the application in a couple of minutes. We leave in 60 minutes. Processing takes no more than an hour.

We do not disclose information that you contact us for services.

If wood lice have settled in your apartment, don’t think about how to get rid of them. Contact the SES.

Call. Come.

Other insects:

• Bedbugs
• Bark beetle
• Cockroach
• Mite
• Ant
• Flea
• Mole
• Mosquito
• Wasp
• Medvedka
• Fly
• Carpet beetle
• Silverfish
• Hay beetle
• Midge
• Bug
• Woodworm
• Louse

Fighting woodlice. Do I need to call specialists or can I fight it myself?

It is not advisable to fight any parasites on your own. You do not know the behavior of these individuals and how they may react if you begin the fight to destroy them. Specialists are a much better option. They know all the nuances of working with them and can easily help you choose tactics for exterminating pests. If you do not have the opportunity to work with specialists, then start pest control on your own.