To understand how to get rid of wood lice in the bathroom, you need to know what they are. This way you can distinguish them from other animals. You will know the living conditions, the characteristics of the organism and prevent their reappearance in your home. These are small, 10-18 mm, nimble representatives of crustaceans. They have dark gray, brown, sometimes white oval bodies, antennae and seven pairs of legs, due to which they move quickly.
In nature, these animals love very humid places with a minimum of sunlight and feed on organic matter. You can meet them under stones, logs, and overturned boats. What do they find in human habitation?
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Pest definition
The white woodlouse is mistaken for an insect, but it is actually a crustacean. It is characterized as a terrarium nurse and can be used as food for exotic pets. The species is native to Central and South America , but has spread throughout the world.
Any decomposing plant debris is suitable for feeding the crustacean. The white woodlouse is exclusively nocturnal and is most active at this time. Find out what woodlice eat in the bathroom, apartment and other rooms here.
Information : in its natural environment, this species is found under stones, fences, and especially often under rotten stumps.
Read general information about woodlice here, we talked about other types of woodlice here, and the description, characteristics and classification of woodlice can be found in this material.
Lifestyle
The white woodlouse belongs to the order of isopods, the suborder of crustaceans. The body of a sexually mature individual reaches a length of 6 mm, where 6 pairs of abdominal legs are located. The eyes are on the sides of the head. The color is most often light white, less often with a grayish tint.
During the daytime, the woodlouse hides in cracks, while at night it actively inspects the territory in search of food. The source of food is a variety of organic decompositions, where the pest is concentrated.
There are more than 3,600 species of woodlice in the world, and a good half of them live in water.
Active reproduction of the pest occurs in the months of April-May. It is at this time that he can move into the house. The average lifespan of a sexually mature individual is between 9-12 months. During this time, the female can be fertilized only once.
Photo
Below you will see a photo of an insect:
Traps
But there are other methods of controlling insects in the bathroom. These can be traps and baits:
- If you place wet birch brooms in the corners and leave them overnight, then in the morning you will notice that small insects have been caught in the trap. It is best to burn brooms.
- The glass jar should be wrapped with paper or tape to make it easier for the silverfish to get inside. The rough surface will easily get her there, but she won’t be able to get out.
- Leave a roll of paper soaked in water in the bathroom overnight and throw it away the next morning or burn it without even unrolling it.
Reasons for appearing indoors
The main reason for the appearance of a white crustacean in a home is the creation of favorable conditions for it:
- It takes a long time for wet laundry to be removed from the bathroom.
- Many plants that require abundant watering.
- Garbage is rarely taken out, and leftover food from tables, floors, and sinks is not immediately removed.
- Lack of timely cleaning, especially in dark, damp, hard-to-reach places.
- Rotting house plants.
- Lack of ventilation or ventilation in the bathroom, high humidity in the apartment.
Find out more about why wood lice are infested in a bathroom or toilet and how to get rid of them in this material; where they come from in an apartment or private house is described here.
Features of woodlice
The nimble little woodlice are sometimes called miniature brontosaurs and compared to tiny armadillos. The crustaceans have a 7-plate chitinous shell, they have 2 pairs of whiskers and 7 pairs of limbs, and also:
- These are the only representatives of crustaceans that did not completely abandon the water element, but chose a land existence.
- When living conditions worsen, they can hibernate, and the duration of such suspended animation is up to 9 months.
- Reproduction occurs not only through fertilization, but also “without a dad” - parthenogenetically.
- Land crustaceans have breathing sacs and so-called land gills. Arthropods absorb oxygen from the thin film of moisture that wets these gills.
- Since they are not insects, the use of insecticides is not always advisable, because the effect of the active substance is very limited. Therefore, it is necessary to use either very strong drugs, or supplement them with other agents, or carry out the treatment several times.
If at least one woodlice appears in the apartment, you must immediately begin to act:
- Make sure there are no leaks in the water supply and sewerage systems.
- Try to reduce high humidity to a minimum by all possible means.
- Promptly seal existing gaps and cracks in the walls and ceiling, remove gaps around the risers of communication pipes (spray foam can help).
What is the danger?
The white woodlouse does not cause significant harm to humans: it does not bite and does not carry harmful bacteria (this fact has not been confirmed by scientists). The harm of these crustaceans is :
- feeling of hostility and disgust of residents;
- death of domestic plants (the pest eats the root system and the upper part of the leaves);
- spoilage of vegetables and fruits in cellars and closets.
Find out more about the harm woodlice can cause to humans and others living in an apartment, how they are dangerous and how to deal with them here.
Silverfish
But silverfish will not cause any harm to people, but it is dangerous for wallpaper. The insect lives in damp and dark places. Its nutrition consists of plant substances that contain starch and polysaccharides.
The silverfish ventures outside its home in order to obtain food for itself. And she looks for it in places that are similar in microclimate to her home.
It is not difficult to recognize the named white insect in the bathroom. What does it look like? Its body is elongated and white; it has long front and rear forked antennae. But, by the way, silverfish become white after the third molt. Before that it was dark.
Step-by-step instructions on how to get rid of an apartment
- You need to start fighting the pest by searching for places where the crustacean accumulates (habitat). You need to look in such places of accumulation as:
- bathroom (dark, hard-to-reach places, space around the bathroom, cracks);
- kitchen (places next to and under the sink);
- houseplants;
- cellar, closet, basement.
Repair all household appliances and pipes that may leak.- Seal all cracks and crevices in residential premises, equip ventilation with a fine mesh, ensure that the humidity level is reduced by regular ventilation (in dry climates outside) or by using special devices that absorb moisture.
- If the soil of domestic plants is affected by the pest, you need to transplant them into a new one.
- Carry out general cleaning using household chemicals.
- Proceed with direct treatment of areas where white woodlice accumulate using traditional methods or chemicals and special services.
Traditional methods
There are several options for fighting white woodlice with folk remedies.
Important : aggressive components are used to combat the pest, so you must leave the room immediately after treatment. Children, people with allergies and animals are strictly prohibited from being in the house at the time of treatment.
- Add 1 teaspoon of pepper, tobacco and salt to 1 liter of water, mix well and let sit for several hours. Pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle and treat areas where crustaceans accumulate.
- If the corners in your home become damp due to high humidity, you need to pour a handful of salt into each corner. Salt absorbs moisture well, which will dry out and make secluded places unsuitable for woodlice.
- Quicklime will help you get rid of woodlice completely. To do this, you need to fill a bucket or basin with lime up to halfway (assuming that the bucket is a standard five-liter one) and slowly pour water into it until the water fills 2/3 of the container. This solution is left in a closed bathroom/other room for 2-3 days.
During treatment, it is strictly prohibited to use these premises, and it is best to leave the apartment or house for a while.When working with lime, you must wear long sleeves, gloves, a respirator, a mask, long trousers, a scarf or a hat.
- Another method is boric acid. To do this, you need to dissolve 10 grams of boric acid in 0.5 liters of water and treat the surfaces where the pest accumulates with the prepared solution.
We invite you to watch a useful video on how to get rid of woodlice in an apartment using folk remedies:
Chemical control, professional pest control services in Moscow and St. Petersburg
You can purchase a ready-made chemical remedy for woodlice in the appropriate hardware department of the store. There are many types of chemical weapons against pests on the market :
- powders and crayons;
- insecticidal aerosols;
- sticky traps and gels;
- fumigators;
- concentrated sprays.
Many organizations offer their services for treating white woodlice at home. Exterminators use special professional products when performing work.
The prices of organizations for such large cities as Moscow and St. Petersburg will be as follows:
| Moscow and Moscow region | Saint Petersburg | ||
| Organization | Prices | Organization | Prices |
| Moscow disinfection service | Apartment: from 1800 to 2600 rubles House, cottage: from 3500 to 10000 rubles | Sanitary Ecological Service | Apartment: from 1300 to 6500 rubles |
| Unified Sanitary Service | Apartment: from 1800 to 6400 rubles House, cottage: from 3500 to 14000 rubles | Sanitary service | Apartment: from 1000 to 3900 rubles House, cottage: from 4500 to 30000 rubles |
| Detsentr | Apartment: from 1,700 to 3,000 rubles House, cottage: from 2,600 to 20,000 rubles | City Sanitary Service | Apartment: from 1500 to 3000 rubles House, cottage: from 2500 to 37500 rubles |
| Honest-dez | Apartment: from 2000 to 15000 rubles House, cottage: from 3500 to 35000 rubles | Detsentr Rus | Apartment: from 1,700 to 3,000 rubles House, cottage: from 2,600 to 20,000 rubles |
| Desstation 24 | Apartment: from 1600 to 8500 rubles House, cottage: from 2550 to 30000 rubles | Dezbalt | Apartment: from 1300 to 6500 rubles House, cottage: from 8000 to 32000 rubles |
What is the best way to fight it – with the help of professional pest control or on your own?
Disinsection is the destruction of insects.
There are two types of self-disinfestation: folk remedies and chemical ones. The first option involves preparing a solution or mixture at home. Chemicals for treating premises are sold in stores.
The advantage of self-disinfestation is its low cost, especially if you use folk remedies. The disadvantage is the lack of a guaranteed result. True, the effectiveness of disinfestation with chemicals is higher than the destruction of wood lice using traditional methods.
The advantage of professional pest control is guaranteed efficiency. The disadvantage is the high cost of processing the premises.
Prevention of recurrence
Prevention consists mainly of preventing the creation of living conditions for white woodlice. Preventive measures :
- The house should be cleaned regularly with special cleaning products.
- Linen should be dried exclusively in a bright, ventilated place (for example, on a balcony).
- After eating, preparing food or washing dishes, regularly remove leftover food.
- Avoid constant dampness in pots with plants, do not overwater.
- All cracks and cracks leading from the house to the outside, into the entrance, and ventilation must be carefully sealed.
Despite the fact that white woodlice does not cause much damage to the owners of the home, it still causes hostility and is a sign of insufficient care of the house and keeping it clean. The best solution in the fight against this uninvited guest would be to prevent his appearance in the house in the first place, knowing in what conditions he prefers to live.
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Industrial products
The use of aggressive chemistry is advisable in cases where traditional methods have not coped with the task. In specialized stores you can find a wide variety of products in different formats: aerosols, powders, sprays, pencils and traps.
The most effective method is to contact specialized services. They will help eliminate pest infestations in a short time, and in such a way that they will not appear for at least a year (with proper cleaning of the premises).
The substances contained in aggressive chemicals are harmful to both humans and pets, so it is imperative to use protective equipment. It is better to isolate cats, dogs and other animals during disinfection.
Aerosols
Such products are sold in cans of different sizes. In addition to classic dichlorvos, Raptor and Combat Superspray aerosols are very popular. The remedies act almost instantly.
Aerosols have proven themselves in the fight against small colonies of pests. While in large apartments their efficiency drops noticeably. In this case, a much larger volume of aerosol is required for processing.
Powders
People call this format “dust”. The powders are scattered over problem areas and left for a day or two. Such means are quite effective, but they have a significant drawback. Only horizontal surfaces can be treated with powder. Well-proven representatives of the segment are “Phenaxin”, the remedy for bedbugs, cockroaches and fleas “Riapan” or “Stop Ant”, as well as “Neopin”.
Sprays
This format is considered the most effective. Unlike aerosols, sprays linger on the surface for a long time, providing a prolonged effect. Such products are perfect for treating large rooms. Consumers respond well to Delta Zona, Taran, Tetriks and Cucaracha sprays.
Pencils
The most affordable format in terms of cost. The famous “Mashenka” chalk showed itself perfectly on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. The powdery composition sticks to the woodlice’s paws and promotes the rapid accumulation of poison. The greatest effect is achieved when using the product in conjunction with sprays.
Habitats
If you see an unpleasant creature unexpectedly at night, you cannot assume that it is a single specimen that accidentally found its way into the apartment. There are a lot of them lurking somewhere in secluded places. First of all, you should look for woodlice in rooms with high humidity:
- Bathroom, toilet. If there are plumbing leaks, laundry is drying, wet rags are placed to wash the floor, condensation collects on the pipes.
- In the kitchen, little pigs live under the sink. There, in addition to droplets of water, they often keep a waste bucket. Yes, and there are enough cracks where you can hide.
- In rooms, woodlice are found in flower pots or in containers for seedlings.
In high-rise buildings, they most often inhabit basements or attics, from where, under unfavorable conditions or lack of food supply, they move to apartments.
