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; we guarantee 100% control of sowbugs.

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

Sowbugs are usually found around areas of moisture and can actually be helpful bugs in gardens and landscaping areas by feeding mainly on decaying matter, which contributes to the decomposition process. However, they can become a pest when they venture 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 proceeding with a treatment program, you must be sure that the pest you are facing is indeed a sowbug. Misidentification can lead you to use the wrong treatment products and waste time and money. Below are some characteristics of 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 and have seven pairs of legs, elbowed antennae, and a segmented hard shell-like covering similar to an armadillo.  
• Sowbugs are often confused with 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 cannot.

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

Inspection

Once you have properly identified sowbugs, you can move on to inspection. This will help you determine the level of infestation, where they have concentrated, and the conducive conditions 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 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 find areas prone to high moisture and sowbugs, apply treatment there. Ensure to address any leaks or moisture problems before progressing with treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed sowbug activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels, follow the application instructions on them, 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 prevent any from venturing into the home.

Step 1: Apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules is a great granular insecticide for treating moist soil where sowbugs live. This product has a residual effect that can last up to three 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 by measuring the square footage of the treatment area. To do this, measure the treatment area's length and width in feet, then multiply them together (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 it 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 have been broadcast, they must be watered to reach the turf's root zone. Supreme IT will do this.

Step 2: Apply Supreme IT to the Lawn and Perimeter

Supreme IT will activate the granules and act as an insecticidal barrier around the perimeter of your property, killing, repelling, and preventing sowbugs and more than 80 insects from coming inside.

Mix 1 ounce of Supreme IT with a gallon of water in a handheld 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 attach it to the nozzle. Attach the nozzle to the hose with the water off. Once secure, turn the water on and begin spraying uniformly across the entire yard. Alternatively, you can use a gallon pump sprayer for small yards and perimeter treatments.

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 cracks and crevices close to the ground where Sowbugs might enter.

After spraying around your structure this way, do not let people or pets enter treated areas until 2 to 4 hours have passed.

Prevention

After treatment, you should see a significant reduction in sowbug activity. However, it would be best to implement some preventative measures to prevent sowbugs from returning.

• Start by decluttering your yard. Cleaning up leaf litter, woodpiles, stones, bricks, and other clutter will destroy the habitats where sowbugs thrive.
• Also, seal any cracks and crevices, especially ground-level ones, that might allow 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 fixing any possible plumbing leaks. If your basement is prone to sowbug infestations, consider ventilating it often or using a dehumidifier to reduce moisture. Finally, use Supreme IT every three 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.