Sowbug Control: How To Get Rid of Sowbugs

This page is a general sowbug control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of Sowbugs. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Sowbugs.

If you own and maintain a garden, there’s a good chance that it will attract a variety of bugs. Some may be destructive pests and others can be beneficial. And then there are times where a bug can be a little bit of both. This is especially the case with sowbugs, the close cousin of pill bugs and roly-poly bugs.

Sowbugs are usually found around areas of moisture and can actually be a helpful bug in gardens and landscaping areas by feeding mainly on decaying matter which contributes to the decomposition process. However, they can become a pest when the venture on indoors looking for damp places to hang out and food to eat.

If left unchecked, sowbugs can grow in large numbers and will be found throughout the home. If you are dealing with Sowbugs, our DIY guide can help. Read along to learn everything you need to know about sowbug infestations and how to get rid of them using our expert advice and product recommendations.

Identification

Before you can proceed with a treatment program, you will need to be sure that the pest you are facing is indeed a sowbug. Misidentification can lead you to using the wrong treatment products and be a waste of your time and money. Below are some characteristics about sowbugs to aid in identification:

• Sowbugs are tiny bugs that fall between 0.5 an inch to 0.75 inches in length. These slow-moving crustaceans look more closely like crayfish or shrimp than insects. They vary from gray to brown to almost purplish-black in color and have seven pairs of legs, elbowed antennae, and a segmented hard shell-like covering, similar to that of an armadillo.  
• Sowbugs are often confused as pillbugs or "roly-poly" bugs. Though they look very similar pillbugs can roll into a ball with their legs tucked inside for protection while sowbugs are unable to do so.

Use the image and the description above to properly identify sowbugs on your property. If you need assistance, contact us and we will try to help with proper identification.

Inspection

Once you have properly identified sowbugs, you can then move on to inspection. This will help you to determine the level of infestation, where they have concentrated, and the conducive conditions that are attracting sowbugs. 

Where To Inspect

Sowbugs live under rocks, logs, mulch, wood chips and all around the home where it is damp, dark, and moist. Indoors, look in basements, crawl spaces, and first-floor areas. Outdoors, check in leaf litter, woodpiles, stones, bricks, and in landscaping. 

What To Look For

You're looking for areas prone to creating high moisture and the sowbugs themselves. In basements, check for leaks in roofs and walls, and wherever moisture is created.

Outdoors look inside wet soil, under rocks, inside woodpiles, and areas where moisture is created. If you found areas prone to creating high moisture and sowbugs, this is where you will apply treatment. Make sure to address any leaks or moisture problems before moving forward with treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed sowbug activity it is time to begin treatment. Remember to first read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment.

To trust sowbug infestations we recommend treating your yard and perimeter with applications of Supreme I/T Insecticide and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules. These two products will deliver control of sowbugs in the areas where they thrive and will prevent any from venturing into the home.

Step 1: Apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules is a great granular insecticide that will be used to treat the moist soil directly where sowbugs live. This product has a residual effect that can last up to 3 months and can be broadcast over your entire yard to address the sowbug infestation.

Start by determining how much Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules you will need for treatment by calculating the square footage of the treatment area. To do this, measure and multiply the area length times the width (length x width = square footage).

The typical application rate is 4.6 pounds of  Valar Plus to treat 1,000 square feet of lawn.

To broadcast the Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, load your spreader with the proper amount of product based on your calculations and evenly distribute over your treatment area. Broadcast half your granules in parallel lines once across the area and then broadcast the other half at a perpendicular angle to cover the area entirely.

Once the Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules has been broadcast, it will need to be watered in to reach the turf's root zone. This will be done with Supreme IT.

Step 2 - Apply Supreme IT To Lawn and Perimeter

Supreme IT will be used not only to activate the granules but also as an insecticidal barrier around the perimeter of your property to kill, repel, and prevent sowbugs and more than 80+ insects from coming inside.

MIx 1 ounce of Supreme IT with a gallon of water in a pump sprayer. This application rate will treat 1,000 square feet. For lawns, we recommend applying the product with a hose-end sprayer.

Add Supreme IT to the reservoir of a hose-end Sprayer and attached to the nozzle. Attach the nozzle to the hose with the water off. Once secure, you can turn the water on and begin spraying uniformly across the entire yard. For small yards and perimeter treatments, you can alternatively use a gallon pump sprayer.

Once complete, conduct a perimeter treatment by spraying three feet up and three feet out from the foundation of your structure. Go all around the perimeter of your home spraying in this manner, while also spraying around door frames, window frames, eaves, soffits, rain gutters, electrical/plumbing penetrations and any crack and crevices close to the ground where Sowbugs might enter.

After going all around your structure spraying in this manner, do not let people of pets enter areas treated until 2 to 4 hours have passed.

Prevention

After treatment, you should see a significant reduction of sowbug activity. To prevent Sowbugs from making a return though, you will need to implement some preventative measures.

• Start by de-cluttering your yard. By cleaning up leaf litter, woodpiles, stones, bricks, and areas that create clutter you will destroy the habitats where Sowbugs thrive in.
• Also, seal any crack and crevices, especially those at ground level, that might be allowing Sowbugs to enter your home. You can seal them using caulking or pest control foam. Add weather stripping to your doors and windows and do your absolute best to eliminate possible entry points. 
• Reduce moisture in your yard, by using mulch sparingly and by fixing any possible leaks in plumbing. If your basement is prone to sowbug infestations consider ventilating it often or use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture. And finally use Supreme IT, every 3 months to maintain a protective barrier around your home.

Key Takeaways

What are Sowbugs

• Sowbugs are a common garden insect that may occasionally be a nuisance when they wander into the home in large numbers.

How to Get Rid of Sowbugs

• To eliminate sowbugs, use a combination of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules and Supreme IT to treat your yard and perimeter to keep them away. 

Prevent Sowbugs Reinfestation

• Prevent sowbugs from re-establishing by reducing clutter and leaf litter around the home, sealing cracks and crevices outside your home to keep sowbugs out, and preventative applications of Supreme IT.