There are many insects on our planet. Each species lives in one environment or another, and some live next to us. There are some that need moisture to live. They find it next to a person in apartments and houses. Any living organisms require certain conditions to reproduce. Thus, excessive humidity in the room can contribute to the appearance of woodlice. We will consider further how harmful and dangerous they are for humans, as well as what remedies exist for woodlice in an apartment.
Woodlice in the apartment
Woodlice is a crustacean. Its slightly convex oval body has antennae and is divided into segments. Eyes on the sides of the head. It has 7 pairs of thoracic legs, which cover each other in a tiled manner and correspond to each segment, as well as antennae, one pair of which is developed, the other is underdeveloped.
If woodlice sense danger, they curl up into a ball. They live on land, but in places where moisture accumulates. Under wet stones lying on the ground, trees. The dark time of day suits them for hunting. Decaying plants and microorganisms are used for food. They can also feed on ordinary young plants.
The apartment may have:
In indoor flowers, in flower pallets.
In bathroom. In places where pipes and plumbing leak. In a damp room, basement. Under the tiles, in the bathroom or kitchen. Under the peeled wallpaper. In a place where vegetables are stored. Near and in the trash can.
Woodlice can appear in an apartment, even if there is no dampness. They come from neighbors, from basements.
Can penetrate:
Through cracks in the floor, in the walls, from under the baseboard. Through the room ventilation system. Through openings for water pipes and sewer pipes. Through sockets.
Strategy for exterminating woodlice
Eliminating arthropods from your apartment is not an easy task. Setting traps or trying to collect individuals manually will lead to nothing. Such actions are not effective. As a rule, woodlice populations are very numerous and losses are easily replenished due to the fertility of these creatures. Any half measures will reduce their number only temporarily, especially if their main habitat is outside your home (for example, in the attic or with neighbors).
Thus, only comprehensive measures can solve the problem:
- Blocking possible entry routes for arthropods from the outside.
- Extermination of pests that are already present in the home.
- Creating an unfavorable environment for life.
- Destruction of an external source of influx, if any.
The most effective way to get rid of these pests is to eliminate excess moisture. Then they simply will not be able to survive, since they use the gills on their legs to breathe. However, this is practically impossible in the bathroom, where they most often live.
Why are woodlice harmful?
Let's consider what harm these representatives of the animal world can cause:
They cause harm to indoor moisture-loving plants. By destroying rotting plants and decaying microorganisms, they can become a source of the spread of fungus and infection. Vegetables are damaged in cellars.
Woodlice can appear directly in a flower pot, for example, for an orchid. The flower will die. In the place where potatoes and vegetables are stored, wood lice appear and spoil the harvest. They will feed on rot.
Anyone can benefit from information on how to deal with these pests. What is the best remedy for woodlice in an apartment?
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.
Let's start with cleaning
If you find woodlice, you need to start cleaning. It is recommended to do the following:
If there are wood lice, it means that there is excessive dampness in this place. You must use an air conditioner or fan. This is necessary in order to dry a room or a certain area. When cleaning, be sure to ventilate the room. Pay attention to the pipes, maybe moisture is accumulating somewhere or there is a leak.
If there are animals in the house, look under the bathtub and sofas, in case something is hidden there and has already begun to decompose. This is an ideal food for woodlice. If you decide to renovate, it is best to get rid of woodlice first, using home remedies, or call a professional. After killing the woodlice, it is good to fill the cracks in the floor and baseboards with sealant. Moisture will not penetrate from under the floor, and new woodlice will not appear.
One of the important points is the choice of an effective remedy for woodlice in the apartment. We will tell you further how to get rid of them using chemicals and traditional methods.
Classification of parasites
Several dozen species of woodlice are found in Russia. Of these, only 2 varieties can be found within the apartment. This:
- armadillo woodlouse;
- rough.
For these insects, human housing is not the most suitable place to live. That is why only the most unpretentious representatives can exist here. Scientists say that our country has already developed its own unique species of these creatures. Each of them has its own distinctive features that set them apart from other crustaceans.
Everything is quite simple: there is excessive humidity - wood lice appear in the apartment. It is not difficult to understand how to get rid of them, because there are many available methods. But the first priority is still the elimination of the factor contributing to their spread.
Armadillo (Armadillidium vulgare)
This type is most widespread and is considered the most famous. Its characteristic feature is the presence of a high shell and a dark body color. This parasite can be found quite rarely in apartments. He prefers to live in a damp cellar, basement, and heating mains. In villages and cities it is found in gardens, along roadsides and wastelands. To detect it, just lift a stone or any other object located on the ground.
This species feeds on living and decaying plants. Its presence in front gardens and vegetable gardens can cause significant damage to plantings. On the other hand, they prefer weeds rather than cultivated species. The armadillo has a miniature size and moves slowly. When trying to catch it, the insect curls up into a ball. This species, quite by accident, during one shipment, came from Europe to the United States, where it spread on a catastrophic scale. Now in California there are places where you can find over 10,000 individuals per square meter.
Rough (Porcellio scaber)
This type is most often found in residential premises. Such insects are quite mobile, compared to the armadillo, they run much faster. It costs them nothing to move between floors of apartment buildings and enter old attics, sometimes in whole hordes. If the roof of a building is leaking and no one is in a hurry to fix it, most likely, parasites will soon arrive here.
Professional exterminators know well how to get rid of woodlice quickly. But often home owners decide to deal with uninvited guests on their own.
This species got its name because of the rough surface that can be felt when an individual is caught. In any danger, she does not curl up into a ball, but arches her body and simultaneously moves her ten legs in order to quickly escape. Its shell is quite flat and soft. It may vary in color. There are representatives with black, reddish and white colors, with an inconspicuous pink tint. Individuals with a dark body shade are found mainly when moving towards the east. Once introduced into an apartment, this species can become a potential pest, especially if it gets into a pantry where fruits and vegetables are stored.
Sprays and aerosols
It is beneficial to use aerosols as a remedy for woodlice in an apartment if a small area is being treated. Such drugs are not long-acting. These include:
"Varan." A new generation drug without odor. It fights not only against woodlice, but also against flying and crawling insects. "Combat". Superspray. Low toxicity for humans and animals. Recommended for use in children's and medical institutions, offices and country houses. From crawling insects.
Concentrates are beneficial for treating large areas. Microencapsulated drugs are highly effective and have a long-lasting effect. Can be purchased in small or large packaging.
"Get." Available in the form of a concentrate. Has a slight odor. It can be used not only against wood lice, it also helps against cockroaches and bedbugs. "Tetrix". A strong remedy. The concentrate must be diluted. One bottle can treat the entire apartment. Long-acting.
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.
Powders and crayons
Powders are insecticides that need to be sprayed around the perimeter. Woodlice are often found on walls. Therefore, this type of product is used as an addition to the main method.
The best of them are:
"Tarax." The most effective remedy for wood lice in the apartment. It is diluted in water and applied from a spray bottle. It forms a toxic film that does not immediately affect the pest, but gives it time to infect others. The drug is absolutely safe for people and pets. Does not cause addiction among pests. "Phenaxin". Insecticidal powder. Suitable for flat surfaces. It is necessary to remove pets and children from the premises during treatment. "Riapan." The powder is used to treat areas where wood lice accumulate. A solution of this product diluted with water can be applied to vertical surfaces. After treatment, wet cleaning is required.
Crayons have worked well as a remedy for woodlice in apartments. This is an excellent way to fight cockroaches. The insect walks along the chalk line, and at this moment the insecticide gets on its paws. Apply stripes around the perimeter of the room, along walls, baseboards. Ideal for vertical surfaces. Effective crayons - “Mashenka”, “Titanic”.
TOP 5 means of combating woodlice
In addition to all kinds of folk remedies for getting rid of these bugs, special means are also used that are commercially available to the public for independent use, without the involvement of professionals in the field of pest control. Let's consider the most relevant of them.
Tarax
- The drug is universal and is capable of destroying not only woodlice, but also cockroaches, bedbugs, ants and fleas.
- The product relatively recently appeared on the insecticide market.
- One gram of powder can effectively up to 60 sq.m. “Tarax” is notable for the fact that it does not cause the notorious habituation of insects to the components contained in its composition, which increases its degree of active influence on pests and efficiency.
- Package 1 gr. powder is dissolved in water (200 ml - a glass) and the insect-affected area is treated with a spray bottle or sponge. Price – 80 rub.
Review: Natalya Ivanovna, Moscow
We removed woodlice under our bathtub using Tarax. We were very pleased with this drug. No poisoning was observed. The drug does not seem to be very toxic. The woodlice died immediately within a few hours. I recommend to all.
Scabengel
- This is a bait gel, which comes in a very convenient package - a syringe with the drug , ready for use.
- A thin stream in the form of a strip of gel is able to penetrate into the most inaccessible places , which creates maximum comfort in using such a drug.
- The consumption of one 30 g package can cover the treatment of 3 medium-sized rooms. Price – 40-45 rubles.
Review: Svetlana, Moscow
We recently bought an apartment in an old Khrushchev building, where we had to completely replace the plumbing with plastic pipes. It is clear that the old plumbing used to leak, the pipes were old, cast iron, there were a lot of small bugs under them, then I recognized them as woodlice. Since there were too many of them, I had to look for a German-made product - “Schabengel”, I heard that it is very effective. We did everything right, according to the instructions, and the woodlice died within a few hours. Everything worked out very conveniently and quickly.
Varan
- This is a new generation of dichlorvos, which has a universal effect on parasites and other crawling and even flying insects , as well as on bugs such as woodlice.
- It is noteworthy that “Varan” is completely odorless and is not toxic to people and animals.
- Price – from 48 to 100 rubles. and higher depending on the percentage of concentration of the active substance and the volume of the bottle.
Review: Sergey, Leningrad region
I used “Varan” against woodlice in my dacha. The drug worked perfectly, there have been no bugs for six months now. I think they won't appear for a long time. I really liked that this remedy against all kinds of parasites has no odor at all. I already thought that I would have to endure some kind of stench, like Dichlorvos, but it turned out that Varan has no smell at all and is not toxic.
Gett
- The drug Gett has its own analogue - “Master”. Both the analogue and its substitute are a liquid concentrate of high toxicity for fish , so in no case should you work with it near an open aquarium or pond
- the aquarium with something
- for humans and animals.
- The effect of its influence occurs only when the insect comes into contact with Gett microcapsules. Price – 700 rub. (100 ml).
Review: Vitaly, Ekaterinburg
We destroyed all the woodlice, which with their presence often caused us trouble in the kitchen near the trash can. Of course, we had to replace the trap under the sink so it wouldn't leak. And then we dealt with the woodlice using Gett. A friend recommended this product to us and it turned out to be very effective. There is still a little left in the bottle, which will be useful for other insects.
Tetrix
- A very strong and active product against many different household insects.
- The active component of Tetrix is cypermethrin, which is why it kills bedbugs, ticks, fleas and woodlice so quickly and for a long time.
- Complete death of insects is possible only after 2 days .
- The effect of the drug can last up to 70 days .
- The drug is produced in the form of an emulsion in bottles and canisters from 250 ml to 1-5 l.
- Expensive, but very effective drug. The price for a 250 ml glass bottle is about 2,000 rubles, for a 1 liter canister – up to 5,300 rubles, and for a 5 liter canister – 21,000 rubles, 20 liters – 80,000 rubles.
Review: Nikolay Savelievich, Moscow
Since we work with a construction company for finishing work inside apartments, our company is often faced with an invasion of various insects such as wood lice, bedbugs, cockroaches and other harmful insects. In order not to lose our clients, and at the same time our time while waiting for disinfection specialists, we decided to use insect control preparations ourselves. We tried everything, nothing helped. But when we used Tetrix once, we realized that there were no other poisons better than it. We have even begun to include Tetricos treatment in the cost of finishing work in apartments. Clients are happy and we are calm.
How to get rid of woodlice in an apartment:
Gels, traps, woodlice baits
Gels can be compared in effectiveness to crayons. They can be used as an additional means of pest control.
Sticky traps are suitable for prevention purposes.
Baits are effective in fighting cockroaches, but they are also suitable as a preventative against woodlice. The most popular are the following:
Schabengel. Can be used against woodlice, ants and cockroaches. Available in the form of a gel bait. Easy to use in hard to reach places. Gel "Raptor". Convenient for application. Easily gets into cracks. Has no smell.
All drugs have a destructive effect on the central nervous system of insects.
Features of the use of chemicals
Before using any of the proposed remedies for woodlice in your apartment, you must:
Study the instructions for the drug. Be sure to ensure no contact with children or pets. Although many manufacturers indicate that the drug is safe for people and pets. When using chemicals, use gloves and a mask when treating the room. Take into account the fact that the number of woodlice may visually increase after treatment; they will begin to crawl chaotically around the apartment. After finishing the treatment, wash the room and ventilate well.
Various preventative methods can be used to prevent woodlice from appearing.
Help from specialists
If you cannot cope with woodlice on your own, we advise you to contact a specialist. This is a sanitary and epidemiological station or organizations that specialize in disinfestation of premises.
The positive aspects of this solution:
Specialists will correctly and thoroughly treat all possible habitats and breeding areas of woodlice. The apartment will be disinfected against woodlice.
Effective and safe means will be used. They are odorless and do not leave marks on furniture. The effect is guaranteed for at least 3 months. If wood lice appear earlier, treatment will be free.
What to do if wood lice appear again
If after treatment a few weeks later you notice arthropods in your home again, then you should contact professional exterminators. Disinsection service specialists know how to get rid of woodlice forever. First, they determine their habitats in the house and the routes of entry into the home. And the use of special disinfection techniques allows insecticides to penetrate into the smallest crevices, which guarantees the complete destruction of insects.
Sources
- https://master-dez.ru/dezinsektsiya/nasekomye/mokritsa/
- https://hozsekretiki.ru/vrediteli/kak-izbavitsya-ot-mokrits.html
- https://Dezoff.ru/nasekomye/kak-izbavitsya-ot-mokrits-v-kvartire/
- https://Otbelim.com/vrediteli/drugie-vrediteli/mokrica-v-vannoj.html
- https://chistsovet.ru/vrediteli/kak-izbavitsya-ot-mokrits/
- https://GdeKlop.ru/other/effektivno-vyvesti-mokritzhu/
- https://legkovmeste.ru/poleznye-sovety/kak-izbavitsya-ot-mokrits-v-kvartire-promyishlennyimi-sredstvami-i-narodnyimi-metodami.html
- https://www.ivd.ru/dizajn-i-dekor/uborka/mokricy-v-vannoj-kak-izbavitsya-ot-nih-navsegda-45381
- https://dezplan.ru/article/top-5-sredstv-ot-mokric
- https://combat-dez.ru/sredstvo-ot-mokricz-v-kvartire-perechen-dezinficziruyushhih-preparatov-osobennosti-primeneniya-effektivnye-narodnye-metody/
- https://HozHack.ru/mokritsyi-v-kvartire-kak-izbavitsya.html
- https://sandezeco.ru/kak-izbavitsja-ot-mokric-v-kvartire/
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Home Remedies
How to remove woodlice from an apartment using folk methods? The following time-tested options exist:
- You need to mix the following ingredients:
Red hot pepper, 3 grams. Soda ash, 3 grams. Tobacco mixture, 3 grams.
Dilute the mixture with water and treat the area with woodlice. After 8 hours, wash the areas with bleach.
2. Prepare a solution of boric acid with water (20 grams per 1 liter). Spray the product.
3. Dilute dry kvass (100 grams) in half a liter of hot water. Treat the area.
4. A popular remedy is dry salt. It is scattered in places where wood lice accumulate, under cabinets, behind baseboards.
5. If wood lice have infested flowers, it is necessary to replant the plant by treating the root system.
Damage caused by woodlice
Indoor plants bear the brunt of the blow. When an insect gets into a flower, it begins to actively eat the leaves, which can be noticeable by the eaten leaves. They also provoke compaction of the soil, due to which the necessary oxygen cannot fully reach the plant and it may die.
Note: This applies to a greater extent to tropical plants that love high humidity - cacti, orchids, etc.
Getting woodlice out of the house quickly is not very easy, because they hide in dark places and are very difficult to detect during the day. As a rule, during the day they are in their hiding places, and at night they come out for food. If you begin to feel that your indoor flower, for inexplicable reasons, looks sickly, first make sure there are no woodlice in it. Their favorite spot is usually the potty tray.
They are also detected by eating vegetables stored in a private home. In addition to fresh plant food, they feed on rotten remains of plant food. Woodlice spread dirt, fungus and infections in the house, so if they are detected, it is necessary to immediately take measures to get rid of them.
Additional control methods
Several methods of controlling woodlice in an apartment:
Birch brooms are moistened and placed in the corners of the room. A wet broom will definitely attract woodlice. Leave overnight. In the morning, carefully collect the brooms and take them out of the apartment. Can be repeated several times. Make traps for woodlice. You need to use potatoes. Cut out the middle of half. Place the cut on the floor. Leave for a day. Woodlice will collect in wet potatoes. The trap needs to be cleaned of woodlice from time to time. In a room with uninvited guests, leave a bucket of quicklime. Treat the areas where they accumulate with this solution. Do not enter the premises for 3 days.
It should be noted that woodlice do not like:
High air temperature, dry climate. Alkalis and acids. Corrosive substances. Strong odors.
Basic measures: what to do?
Before getting rid of woodlice in the bathroom or other areas of the house once and for all, you should make sure that the fight against them takes place taking into account the characteristics of the pests. The sequence of actions in this case will be as follows:
- Eliminate conditions conducive to the spread of woodlice.
- Block the routes through which pests enter the living space.
- Get rid of sources of danger directly inside the apartment or house.
- Find a breeding ground for pests. As a rule, it is located directly in the attic or basement.
- Carry out sanitary treatment against pests.
Feedback from our readers: When I first saw these bastards in the bathroom, I almost died. They are so annoying that it’s even scary. For a long time we could not guess where they were coming from. It turned out that woodlice move through pipes very well. And a huge number of them can come. We hadn’t filled all the holes with cement yet, so we just climbed.
Are woodlice dangerous for people?
There is an opinion that the appearance of woodlice does not pose a danger to housing, except for possible discomfort from such a neighborhood.
Are these woodlice?
Before getting rid of wood lice, it would be a good idea to clarify who exactly decided to visit your property. The fact is that the pests that are often mistaken for these arthropods, in fact, are not them. However, the appearance of silver-white sugar silverfish with a nimble body and the ability to instantly move around rooms should also not be ignored. But real woodlice have the following characteristics:
- oval body shape, convex in the back area;
- the presence of seven pairs of legs in the thoracic region, and six more on the abdomen;
- antennae at the front of the head;
- living mainly outside the water area, but in rooms with a humid environment;
- when danger appears, the pest curls up into a ball;
- molting throughout life - shell scales also pose a certain sanitary hazard to the home.
If the uninvited guests found in your home also have these signs, you are definitely looking at woodlice.
Review: We, like many, were misled about what exactly these pests look like. They haven’t occupied our country house yet, and in such numbers that it’s time to evacuate ourselves. In general, we fought the pest as long as we could, and then we still had to call in the professionals. These bastards are really annoying us.
Preventive actions
To avoid having to use chemicals against woodlice in your apartment, it is better to prevent their occurrence. Here are some steps that will help you avoid this problem in your home:
Ventilate the room more often. Take out the trash can. Don't store trash. Wash and disinfect the bucket. Do not leave food out in the open in the kitchen. Fix pipe leaks in a timely manner. The plumbing must be in good working order. Cracks in floors, walls, and around baseboards must be sealed. The inlet and outlet of water and sewer pipes at the points where they connect to the floor and the gaps must be carefully sealed. After the floor in the kitchen and bathroom is washed, it must be wiped without leaving wet areas. It is necessary to thoroughly wash and wipe the floors under beds, closets, and behind sofas.
Clean ventilation shafts regularly. It is better to dry clothes outside, rather than in the bathroom or kitchen. Trays of flower pots should be wiped dry, avoiding stagnation of moisture. Peeled wallpaper must be glued and dried. During periods of high humidity, use dehumidifiers.
Let's summarize how to deal with woodlice in an apartment. First, block all routes of their entry from the outside. Choose an insecticide based on safety for humans and pets. An expensive product does not mean it is effective. Follow the instructions for use of any drug. By following simple prevention methods, you will protect your home not only from woodlice, but also from other unpleasant insects.
Source
Prevention of wood lice
Competent prevention will help avoid the reappearance of woodlice in the house. To do this, just follow the basic rules:
- maintain high efficiency of the ventilation system;
- promptly eliminate damage and malfunctions of pipes that lead to moisture accumulation and condensation;
- maintain a high level of cleanliness in the apartment.
Woodlice can enter a human home through any cracks. Treating vents, sewer and water pipes with insecticidal or homemade repellent preparations will help reduce the likelihood of their occurrence.
