Sasha CampbellYou may ask: Are pill bugs (also known as rolly pollies) beneficial to have in the garden?
Pill bugs help the garden by feeding on dead and decaying plant material [1]. However, when there are too many pill bugs or food is scarce, they may feed on tender seedlings, young leaves, fruits touching the soil, and sometimes soft roots.
If you often find pill bugs indoors, it usually means there is too much moisture in your home or a large outdoor population nearby. At this point, you need to take the necessary steps to control them.
How to Get Rid of Pill Bugs Naturally
Pill bugs do not bite people, spread diseases, or damage homes, but they can become a nuisance indoors. These are some home remedies and natural solutions that you can try.
1. Beer Trap
Any beer will attract pill bugs. Therefore, fill a plastic cup or bowl with beer and sink it into the ground.
The cup’s rim should align with the ground’s surface so the bugs can crawl in and drown. Empty the trap and refill it with fresh beer as needed.
2. Remove Mulch and Dead Plant Matter
Pill bugs thrive on mulch, dead leaves, rotting vegetables, and other decaying plant material. Removing excess mulch, dead leaves, and decaying plant material helps make the area less attractive to pill bugs.
3. Diatomaceous Earth
Another home remedy for naturally getting rid of roly-poly bugs is diatomaceous earth (DE). Sprinkle it in the vegetable garden and in areas of the house where pill bugs congregate.
The tiny particles damage their protective outer layer, causing them to lose moisture and dry out.
You can also spread it around seedling trays and potted plants. Food-grade diatomaceous earth can also help control pill bugs that infest homes.
4. Dry Up Moist Areas
Pill bugs need moisture to survive. Drying damp areas in the house, particularly those where water runs off the outside walls, is essential.
This method is likely to be more effective at keeping the home free of these pests than any chemical sprays.
5. Garlic Spray
A solution of crushed garlic and water, when sprayed on and around these pests, may help repel them.
Make a homemade pill bug spray by combining one tablespoon of crushed garlic with a quart of water.
Apply the solution directly to pill bugs and around areas where they are active. Garlic spray mainly works as a natural repellent and may help discourage them from treated areas.
6. Potato Trap
Full of moisture and food, roly-poly bugs are easily attracted to this DIY method.
Cut some potatoes in half and spoon away some of the flesh to make depressions in each piece. Next, leave the potatoes in the soil or infested areas overnight before removing them the next morning.
Check the potatoes the next morning. You may find many pill bugs underneath them.
Finally, remove the potatoes and bugs and dispose of them.
7. Repellent Plants
Strong-smelling plants such as rosemary, mint, basil, marigolds, and chrysanthemums may help discourage pill bugs from some areas. However, evidence is limited, so this method works best when combined with other control measures.
Use these plants as companion plants whenever possible.
8. Sluggo Plus
Sluggo Plus contains both iron phosphate and spinosad, which help control pill bugs, slugs, sowbugs, earwigs, and snails.
It is an easy-to-use pelleted formula in a shaker-top container. If using it on soil, lightly dampen the area first. Then sprinkle the pellets around the target area.
However, manufacturers recommend using it no more than three times a month.
Also, avoid using it within 3 days of harvesting any edible plants treated with it. For safety and effectiveness, apply it in the evening.
You can also use it with a slug saloon trap in indoor and greenhouse problem areas.
Always follow the product label for safe application rates.
9. Essentria IC-3
This product combines essential oils, including rosemary, peppermint, and geraniol. It is labeled for many crawling and flying pests, including pill bugs, when used as directed.
Essentria is plant-oil based and is commonly used in homes, schools, and public places when applied according to the label directions.
Mix the solution as shown in the product leaflet. Then, spray it around buildings, vehicles, and trouble spots.
Essentria may help control pill bugs and other crawling pests when applied properly. It is also effective against many insect pests.
10. Bonide Bug & Slug Killer
Bonide can help control pill bugs and other crawling insects. Moreover, it comes in pellet form for those who prefer not to spray.
The active ingredients are spinosad and iron phosphate. Use this product according to the instructions.
Keep children and pets away until the product has been applied according to the label directions.
Sprinkle it as a barrier around the areas you want to protect. Reapply after heavy rain or watering.
11. Citrus Peel Trap
Pill bugs are attracted to moist, decaying organic matter. So, citrus peels are an easy natural trap.
Place fresh orange, grapefruit, or lemon peels face down in the garden near infested areas in the evening. By morning, pill bugs will often gather underneath the peels to feed and hide.
Collect the peels along with the bugs and dispose of them away from the garden. Replace with fresh peels as needed until the population decreases.
12. Coffee Grounds
Used coffee grounds are an inexpensive option that some gardeners use to help discourage pill bugs.
You can spread some used coffee grounds around plants to protect seedlings and young growth. Some gardeners believe the smell or caffeine in coffee grounds may help discourage certain pests, but scientific evidence is limited.
Some people also place bowls of coffee grounds near indoor problem areas to help discourage pill bugs.
13. Neem Oil
Neem oil may help deter pill bugs in some situations, although it is generally more effective against soft-bodied insect pests.
It may also help suppress certain fungal diseases of plants.
You can use it in outdoor gardens, greenhouses, and houseplants, and it is available as an organic pest control product.
14. Natural Predators
Plenty of creatures prey on pill bugs. Common predators of pill bugs include frogs, birds, spiders, centipedes, lizards, and ants.
15. Vinegar
Vinegar can effectively kill pests such as fruit flies and aphids. Its acidity may kill pill bugs if sprayed directly on them, but it is not a long-term solution.
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water, then spray it directly onto pill bugs. Avoid spraying vinegar directly on desirable plants, as it may damage foliage.
FAQ
Will soapy water kill pill bugs?
Soapy water is usually less effective against pill bugs because of their hard outer covering, though strong soap solutions may kill some on contact.
Can you use cornmeal to make a trap for pill bugs?
There is very little scientific evidence that cornmeal kills pill bugs. This is more folklore than proven pest control.
Takeaway
Whether you call them pill bugs, roly-polies, sal bugs, or ball bugs, these small creatures help break down dead plants and other organic matter.
However, if their numbers become too large, they may damage young plants and seedlings. Reducing moisture and removing hiding places are usually the best long-term ways to keep pill bug populations under control.
See also: How do you get rid of roaches naturally?
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