What Are Woodlice?
If you have been asking the question, “what are woodlice”? Then the answer is simple. Woodlice are from the class Crustacea family and the members of this family include shrimps, crabs, and lobsters. While crustaceans are normally aquatic creatures, there are two forms that can spend their entire life away from water and these species include the Isopoda breed, which includes the amphipoda and the woodlice.
An isopod is a species that has seven different pairs of legs and this is how they got their name from the Greek words podes, which means feet and isos, which means equal. The babies however, are born with six pairs of legs when they first enter this world from their mother’s pouch; however, they will get their seventh pair once they have molted and are now referred to as juveniles, no longer being referred to as mancas. Mancas is the name given to the baby woodlice.
PILLBUGS, SLATERS AND SOW BUGS
Woodlice are known by many different names; Pillbugs, Armadillo Bug, Slater, Wood Bug, Butcher Boy, Sow Bugs to name but a few.
The juvenile woodlice will molt regularly and once they reach their sexual maturity after a year on earth, they are now fully adults. They will continue to molt well into their adult years and this process is one where they will shed their exoskeleton in two different phases.
If you realise that you have woodlice, you will need to check your homes thoroughly because woodlice are known to live in damp, dark areas and love the outdoors. If you find them frequently in your home, you may have a serious issue on hand that goes much further than meets the eye. Cleanliness should be taken into consideration and you will need to search every area of your home to find where they are living.
These little creatures are oftentimes found outside the home, living under planters, rocks, and rotting wood near your homes and while they are not dangerous, no one wants them in the home. In order for you to keep these little pillbugs where they belong, there are a few simple things that you can do.
The first thing to do is check your gutters ensuring that they are drained, do not need repair, and are clean. If there are cracks in the gutters, you should have them sealed with caulks to prevent them from re-entering the home.
You should have any rocks and wood removed around the base of the walls of your home to help keep them at bay because this is where they are known to live. By removing them, you will help to discourage them from venturing inside.
Most residual insecticide sprays are effective at killing Woodlice. These are water-based sprays that are available at most garden centers and DIY stores. Apply the residual insecticide to the external perimeter of your home using a low-pressure sprayer (like those used for applying weed killer). You may need to re-apply the spray periodically dependent on weather conditions and woodlouse population size.
If Woodlice are coming into your home persistently, even with regular spraying of insecticide, this could be telling you that you may have a problem with damp or rotten timber in your home that needs to be checked out instantly.