How to Get Rid of Pill Bugs in the Garden

So how do you get rid of Pill bugs in your garden or your house? I will give you five practical ideas that are easy to implement and work like a rocket.

But let me remind you that pill bugs are not as harmful to your garden as people think.

They help maintain the garden by composting and aerating the soil, and they never overpopulate the outdoor space.

But sometimes they eat the fruits that you are growing there. It might be a signal that an eviction is needed.

Otherwise, leave them as they are unless you feel them creepy.

How to Get Rid of Pill Bugs Completely

First, clean your garden and the surroundings. Remove all the debris and leaf piles that are making a mess. It will reduce the space those pill bugs have to hide and crawl. 

These bugs love to hide in the soil or somewhere safe. Cleaning the garden will surely help. You can also mulch the soil with anything that helps. 

You have also the option to use a store-bought bug killer or a homemade bug trap. But before that, you need to use some protection before you use them.

Use a glove and get a mask before using any chemicals on them.

Okay, now let’s get to how to get rid of pill bugs from your garden with these five unique yet natural ideas. 

Also, read: How to get rid of lizard in your garden

1. Remove Damps and Dark Hiding Places

These pill bugs live in a dark place or a damp area.

Clean all those areas from your garden by removing standing water, wet leaves, dead plants, fallen fruits, vegetables, mulch, and rocks that are helping those bugs to hide and live. 

That is why you should not overwater your plants, as those pill bugs will get attracted to them and start to live there if they find any moisture in the soil.

2. Improve Air Circulation Around Plants

Look for plant clutter where a lot of plants are growing side by side.

But if you remove a few of them, the remaining plants will get a massive air boost and free space to grow, resulting in better health of those plants and healthy fruits or vegetables for you. 

Improving air circulation is one of the best ways how to get rid of pill bugs in the Garden. It will also help reduce the moisture in the soil and remove those pill bugs. 

Also, trim your brushes, plants, and grass on a regular basis so that the soil does not hold any moisture and gets proper sunlight.

Remove any unneeded items like wooden boards, firewood, or rocks close to the house. They also attract these bugs as sunlight cannot reach under them, resulting in a wet surface.

3. Reduce Moisture and Seal off Entrances in the House

The most common area these pill bugs live is the basement as those areas are dark and have moisture.

But do not let them by fixing all the plumbing leaks in the basement and spraying some dehumidifier that will dry the place.

Plus, seal all the entrances, cracks in the window or wall, in foundations and make sure sunlight can reach those places without any blockage or at least try the weatherstripping.

It is a process of sealing openings such as doors, windows, and trunks from the water above.

These will reduce their crawl space and make the place impossible to survive for those pill bugs resulting in a permanent vacancy in the area.

4. Make a Homemade Pill Bug Trap

Dig a hole using a garden spade, trowel, or spoon near the place where those bugs live. Then insert a plastic container and fill it with beer. These bugs will get attracted to it, drown in the beer, and die.

You can also use cornmeal (made from dried corn). Fill the plastic container with it and let the bug eat them. These are not digestible for those bugs, and they will die. 

Building a homemade trap is a good idea for how to get rid of pill bugs, and it works well. Use as many traps as you need to remove them from your garden. 

5. Use Diatomaceous Earth to Kill Them

Diatomaceous earth is a common way to get rid of pill bugs. It is safe for humans and animals but not for bugs.

But know that it also will kill other valuable insects in your garden that are required for soil health.

This powder will cause the insects to dry out and die when they walk through it. When you use it, put a mask on as you should not breathe it.

Touching this powder will not hurt your skin. 

6. Spray Vinegar in Your Garden

Yes, vinegar can kill them when they crawl over it. But be careful as the vinegar will also burn the plants. That is why keep the spray away from the plants.

If you have to spray then mix water with it then spray so that plants do not get damaged.

7. Lay Broken Egg Shells

Boken egg shell act like a knife or blades that can cut their skin when they crawl over it. Plus the smell from the eggshell is also not suitable for those rolly polly.

Smash a few eggshells and spread all over the garden and you will see they are leaving soon.

8. Flood the Area with Poison

Mix a pest-killer liquid in the water and flood the whole garden. If those pill bugs are living inside the soil they will die either drowing or with the poison.

But be careful as the liquid ann also harm your plants. That is why is use something that is natural like Diatomaceous earth powder.

Yes, then you have to heat up the place and clean them off to reduce the moisture.

9. Invite Predators in the Garden

Predators like birds, frogs, spiders, and centipedes hunt them. So set up a bird feeder and let it eat them one by one.

Frogs will also help but the problem is they will not leave your garden and lay eggs. Otherwise, they are the fastest to kill pill bugs.

10. Clean, Clean, and Clean

No matter how hard you try those rolly polly will not leave unless you clean the garden.

Cutting some weeds, reducing moisture, and removing unnecessary plants will help you fight with them.

Pill Bug Removal FAQs

Last Words

So this is how to get rid of pill bugs in your garden and house completely.

First, remove that dirt and debris, clean your garden, remove moisture, and then use store-bought chemicals to kill them.

Get a small pack of Diatomaceous earth to get rid of them faster.

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