Do you find many small, oval-shaped, elliptical insects in your garden and other damp areas in your house, especially during the night? If yes, your home is infested with sow bugs. These are small creatures with seven pairs of legs and two pairs of antennae. They love to reside in moist and damp areas; therefore, they love to stay in the dark corners and flowerbeds of your garden. When you don’t spot them early, they can slowly gain entry inside your homes through sliding doors and windows. So, how do you keep them at bay? Keep reading to know more about sow bugs and pest control Vancouver.
Are sow bugs dangerous?
Sow bugs are common household pests that are commonly spotted in outdoor areas. Dead leaves, mulch, thick growth of bushes, moist flowerbeds and plants attract sow bugs. These insects stay in the gardens feeding on the organic waste from the plants. If you spot sow bugs inside your homes, you can be sure that there are many of them in your outdoor yard. So, check for sow bug infestations immediately, in that case.
No, sow bugs aren’t dangerous. They don’t bite or sting. You don’t have to worry if they carry any diseases as well. The only problem with sow bugs is that their presence can irritate you a lot. When they crawl indoors, they won’t be able to find many damp or moist areas. So, they die a natural death when they stay in dry areas for a long time.
Getting rid of sow bugs
Though they aren’t dangerous, it is essential that you get rid of sow bugs even when they are settling on the flowerbeds in your garden. Here are some things you can do to keep sow bugs at bay:
- If you have any firewood, logs, stones, or other boards in the garden, ensure that you arrange them at a distance far away from your homes. Sow bugs find the darkness and dampness that these logs provide, and they can make the wood and log their habitat. Moving them away from your home is a good idea to prevent sow bugs from entering your homes.
- Check for cracks on the doors, and seal the crawl spaces carefully. This will ensure that all the entry points of sow bugs are blocked completely. If your house is made from brick, you can use plastic screens in the crawl spaces to block sow bugs from entering your homes.
- Ensure that the walls in the basement and attic are waterproofed properly, as the dampness of these walls can attract sow bugs in large numbers.
- Keep cleaning your garden at regular intervals and dispose the dead leaves, garden debris, weeds and organic waste, if any.
- Ensures that the plants in your garden are arranged in such a way that they have enough air circulation.
- Make a simple sow bug disinfectant by mixing a tablespoon of cayenne pepper powder, two tablespoons of any detergent solution and 1 quart of alcohol in a gallon of water. Spray this mixture near the plants and other moist areas to keep sow bugs away.
For more assistance and information, please contact a Vancouver pest control service.
