Sowbugs and pillbugs are common basement invaders across Ontario, thriving in moist conditions around foundations. XtermaPro Pest Control eliminates indoor populations and addresses the conditions that attract them.
Sowbugs and pillbugs are technically crustaceans (not insects) oval, segmented, grey-brown arthropods about 12mm long. Pillbugs roll into a ball when disturbed; sowbugs cannot. Both live outdoors under stones, logs, and leaf litter feeding on decaying plant matter. They enter homes through foundation gaps, door thresholds, and basement windows, always following moisture.
Signs of infestation:
Sowbugs and pillbugs are completely harmless to humans and pets they don't bite, sting, or spread disease. Their presence in large numbers is a reliable indicator of excess moisture around the foundation and entry points that need addressing. They also damage seedlings and tender plants in greenhouses and indoor gardens.
We apply targeted perimeter treatment to the foundation, entry points, and moisture-prone areas. More importantly, we advise on the moisture and debris conditions attracting them improving drainage and removing leaf litter from the foundation significantly reduces populations over time.
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Pillbugs (roly polies) roll into a tight ball when disturbed. Sowbugs are very similar but cannot roll up. Both are land living crustaceans, not insects, and they behave the same way indoors. Treatment is identical for both.
No. Sowbugs do not bite, sting, or spread disease. They do not damage structural wood because they feed only on decaying plant matter. The issue is the damp conditions they indicate and the creep factor of finding them indoors.
Sowbugs breathe through gills, so they need constant moisture. If they are indoors, you have a humidity problem. Common sources are leaky basement windows, crawlspace dampness, clogged weeping tile, or saturated mulch against the foundation.
We apply an exterior perimeter residual to the foundation, treat wall voids and basement cracks, and identify the moisture source so it can be addressed. Sowbug populations die off quickly once the humidity drops below 60 percent.
Fix drainage issues, run a dehumidifier, pull mulch back from the foundation, clean out basement window wells, and seal gaps around bulkhead doors. Sowbugs are the classic indicator pest that tells you the home has a water issue worth fixing.
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