Appearance and description
Despite the fact that almost all people call woodlice insects, they are not. Woodlice belong to arthropods and are included in the class of higher crayfish, for which they can safely be called crustaceans.
Woodlice are characterized by a rather specific appearance: they have an oval body shape, the upper part of which is slightly convex. There are two pairs of whiskers, the first pair is not fully developed, as a result of which the antennae are very small, the second pair is well developed. The eyes of woodlice are located on the left and right of the head. Also presented crustaceans are characterized by the presence of 6 pairs of abdominal legs.
What is the reason for their appearance?
The main reason for the appearance of woodlice in a bathroom or toilet is an increased level of humidity in the room, which can occur in the following cases:
- there is a leak in pipes or faucets;
- pipe joints were not repaired for a long time;
- after taking a bath, puddles are left on the floor;
- the bathroom or toilet has not been cleaned for a long time, as a result of which a large amount of garbage has accumulated;
- After taking a bath it is left wet.
If you avoid the cases presented above, you will significantly reduce the likelihood of woodlice appearing in your home.
Reference. Woodlice can also enter the bathroom through cracks in the walls. Therefore, if the bathroom was flooded by neighbors from above and the water was not removed in time, the room will become humid and damp, which will certainly attract woodlice.
Basic measures: what to do?
Before getting rid of woodlice in the bathroom or other areas of the house once and for all, you should make sure that the fight against them takes place taking into account the characteristics of the pests. The sequence of actions in this case will be as follows:
- Eliminate conditions conducive to the spread of woodlice.
- Block the routes through which pests enter the living space.
- Get rid of sources of danger directly inside the apartment or house.
- Find a breeding ground for pests. As a rule, it is located directly in the attic or basement.
- Carry out sanitary treatment against pests.
Feedback from our readers: When I first saw these bastards in the bathroom, I almost died. They are so annoying that it’s even scary. For a long time we could not guess where they were coming from. It turned out that woodlice move through pipes very well. And a huge number of them can come. We hadn’t filled all the holes with cement yet, so we just climbed.
Are woodlice dangerous for people?
There is an opinion that the appearance of woodlice does not pose a danger to housing, except for possible discomfort from such a neighborhood.
Are these woodlice?
Before getting rid of wood lice, it would be a good idea to clarify who exactly decided to visit your property. The fact is that the pests that are often mistaken for these arthropods, in fact, are not them. However, the appearance of silver-white sugar silverfish with a nimble body and the ability to instantly move around rooms should also not be ignored. But real woodlice have the following characteristics:
- oval body shape, convex in the back area;
- the presence of seven pairs of legs in the thoracic region, and six more on the abdomen;
- antennae at the front of the head;
- living mainly outside the water area, but in rooms with a humid environment;
- when danger appears, the pest curls up into a ball;
- molting throughout life - shell scales also pose a certain sanitary hazard to the home.
If the uninvited guests found in your home also have these signs, you are definitely looking at woodlice.
Review: We, like many, were misled about what exactly these pests look like. They haven’t occupied our country house yet, and in such numbers that it’s time to evacuate ourselves. In general, we fought the pest as long as we could, and then we still had to call in the professionals. These bastards are really annoying us.
What do they eat and how do they live?
Woodlice prefer to be nocturnal and during the daytime it is almost impossible to see them in the bathroom or toilet. The presented crustaceans live in the darkest corners, can hide under tiles or wet towels, and are placed under damp rubber mats. Therefore, if you need to determine whether wood lice are present in the room, it is first recommended to inspect the listed places.
As for the food of the presented crustaceans, it consists of particles of accumulated dirt, small pieces of soggy paper and soggy soap residues. If the kitchen is not cleared out for a long time, then the woodlice will move from the bathroom to the kitchen and feed on leftover human food.
A few words about woodlice
I’ll start with a description of these insects, since, as they say, you need to know your enemy by sight. Although, to be precise, the woodlice is not even an insect, but a crustacean. But when it comes to fighting them, it doesn't matter.
So, the woodlice is an oval-shaped creature covered with a shell. The latter can have different colors - whitish, gray or even brown. When they see danger, woodlice usually curl up into a ball and pretend to be dead.
If it is light in the bathroom during the day, then you will not see these insects, since they do not tolerate daylight, just like artificial light. But in the dark, these creatures leave their secret hiding places in search of food.
Dirt and dampness are the favorite habitat of woodlice.
What do woodlice eat? Their favorite food is all kinds of dirt that has accumulated in the corners of the room and in the cracks between the tiles, as well as soap deposits, paper and other debris.
Moreover, like all crustaceans, they love dampness. Thus, when the bathroom is dry and clean, woodlice will never enter it. Essentially, it is an indicator that signals faulty plumbing, plumbing or other problems that lead to increased humidity levels.
Therefore, before dealing with woodlice, it is necessary to eliminate sources of dampness. It can be:
- leaking faucets;
- depressurized connections between sewer pipes or plumbing fixtures with sewerage;
- constant moisture on the floor due to poor ventilation of the room;
- depressurized gap between the bathtub and the wall.
The gaps between the bathtub and the wall must be sealed
In some cases, woodlice can crawl into the room from neighbors or from the basement. To solve this problem, again, it is necessary to ensure that the bathroom is completely sealed.
We have figured out the habitat and “diet” of this crustacean. But, probably, many people are still interested in – what is the harm of woodlice in the bathroom? They do not bite people or animals, but indoor plants, if woodlice get to them, may suffer.
It is also assumed that they can carry various infections on their paws. However, there is no exact information on this matter. But, in any case, they have no place in the bathroom, so you need to fight them.
Photo
Check out the following photos of domestic crustaceans that are infested and crawling in the toilet:
How to fight: exterminator or on your own?
Since wood lice do not have a direct negative impact on humans , there is no need to call an exterminator. It is quite possible to do it yourself, which will be much cheaper.
On a note. But independent destruction of woodlice is possible only if there is a small number of them; if there is a large accumulation of the described crustaceans, it is simply impossible to do without the help of a specialist.
Also, the need to call an insect control specialist arises if the homeowners have already tried to get rid of woodlice on their own, but after a short time, they reappeared.
As a result, we can highlight the following positive aspects of calling an exterminator:
- getting rid of woodlice in the shortest possible time;
- guarantee that woodlice will not appear again in the near future.
Among the disadvantages, only the high cost of the procedure for getting rid of insects is noted.
As for getting rid of crustaceans on your own, here you can highlight significant savings and the possibility of using components that are absolutely harmless to humans. Among the disadvantages is the high probability of reappearance of woodlice.
No. 17. Heat treatment
This method is often used when colonies of woodlice are clearly visible visually and are at an accessible distance. The fact is that crustaceans die at temperatures above 70°C or when exposed to steam. Therefore, if possible, a steam cleaner or hair dryer is quite suitable.
As for indoor plants, very often the only way to save them is replanting. Before transplanting the flower into another pot, you need to rinse its roots well. If everything is very sad, you should lower the plant for 15 minutes in a container with warm water. Destroy any woodlice that float to the surface
Remedies for them
If, when asked how to destroy all crustaceans from the toilet, it was decided to independently get rid of the described ones in the apartment, then in this case, when asked how to remove them, you can use both chemical and folk remedies.
Chemical
Among the popular chemicals is a drug called Tetrix . It combines intestinal and contact effects and is quite toxic.
To use it, the following actions are carried out:
- It is necessary to wear rubber gloves, a change of clothes (preferably ones that can then be thrown away or thoroughly washed), a mask or respirator, and safety glasses.
- The product is sprayed around the room according to the instructions.
- After treating the bathroom, you should leave the home for several hours, and after the specified period has passed, ventilate it well and thoroughly wash the floors.
Important! When spraying the drug, it is necessary to ensure that children and animals leave the home.
The drug Tarax is used a little differently, but the effect does not decrease:
- the product is diluted in water, and then, using a brush or syringe, it is applied to the suspected habitats of woodlice;
- Over time, the water evaporates, and a thin film of the substance remains and can persist for 4 weeks.
You can also use drugs such as Varan and GET to kill woodlice; they are used in a similar way to Tetrix.
Folk
It has been noted that folk remedies in the fight against woodlice are less effective than chemical ones , but if there is a small amount of the described crustaceans in the bathroom or toilet, then you can use such methods.
A fairly popular method for killing woodlice is a mixture of tobacco, red pepper powder and soda; to use this product you need to follow these steps:
- Each of the described components is taken in the amount of 3 grams, and then the resulting mixture is diluted in a liter of water.
- The prepared solution is used to treat all cracks in the walls and other suspected habitats of woodlice.
- The room is closed and not used for 8 hours.
After the specified period, you need to thoroughly rinse the bath with a weak bleach solution.
You can also use birch brooms:
- In the evening, birch brooms should be placed in the corners of the bathroom (they have a rather attractive smell and taste for woodlice, so they will not be able to resist such a delicacy).
- In the morning (before sunrise), the brooms are collected and burned.
In addition, many housewives, in an attempt to get rid of wood lice, scatter salt in the corners, which is not particularly effective, but it can destroy several individuals.
From the video you will learn how to get rid of woodlice in the toilet and bathroom:
Features of woodlice
The nimble little woodlice are sometimes called miniature brontosaurs and compared to tiny armadillos. The crustaceans have a 7-plate chitinous shell, they have 2 pairs of whiskers and 7 pairs of limbs, and also:
- These are the only representatives of crustaceans that did not completely abandon the water element, but chose a land existence.
- When living conditions worsen, they can hibernate, and the duration of such suspended animation is up to 9 months.
- Reproduction occurs not only through fertilization, but also “without a dad” - parthenogenetically.
- Land crustaceans have breathing sacs and so-called land gills. Arthropods absorb oxygen from the thin film of moisture that wets these gills.
- Since they are not insects, the use of insecticides is not always advisable, because the effect of the active substance is very limited. Therefore, it is necessary to use either very strong drugs, or supplement them with other agents, or carry out the treatment several times.
If at least one woodlice appears in the apartment, you must immediately begin to act:
- Make sure there are no leaks in the water supply and sewerage systems.
- Try to reduce high humidity to a minimum by all possible means.
- Promptly seal existing gaps and cracks in the walls and ceiling, remove gaps around the risers of communication pipes (spray foam can help).
Prevention
If the owners of the home managed to get rid of woodlice, then in order to prevent their reappearance they need to adhere to some rules:
- You need to carefully control the level of importance in the bathroom or toilet. You should monitor how well the ventilation works and whether the pipes are intact. It is recommended to give up the habit of drying clothes in the bathroom.
- Needs to be kept clean. Under no circumstances should wet rags be placed in the corners of the bathroom. Occasionally, general cleaning should be done.
- Monitor the condition of walls and corners. If the slightest cracks occur, they must be removed immediately.
On a note. The main thing to remember is that wood lice will never live in a bathroom where it is dry and clean.
Destroying insect infestations: where to start the fight
Killing woodlice is difficult. If you want to get rid of insects in your home yourself, take a comprehensive approach to solving this problem.
Carry out a general cleaning, after which try to reduce the humidity level by using dehumidifiers, air conditioners or fans.
Repair any devices that are leaking water.
Pay attention to the flower pots. It is quite possible that plants will need to be replanted to replace soil affected by woodlice.
Protect your home from woodlice entering from outside
To do this, equip the ventilation holes with a mesh with small cells.
Seal cracks in ceilings and walls, and remove gaps around water and sewer pipes. You can cope with this task using polyurethane foam.
Then you can begin to destroy the pests that have already settled in the apartment.
What if they reappeared due to dampness?
If woodlice reappears in your home, you need to check whether all preventive measures have been followed. If all the measures have been followed, then you should contact professional exterminators; they will definitely destroy the wood lice forever. If not all measures were followed, then it is necessary to eliminate the cause that provoked the reappearance of woodlice and destroy them by any effective method.
If you carefully monitor the cleanliness of the bathroom and toilet, and do not allow the humidity level to increase, then woodlice will definitely not settle in your home.
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