Woodlice (‘Pill Bugs’ in the United States, and ‘Slater Bugs’ in New Zealand) come in a variety of species in the UK. The common woodlice is a small and oval-shaped crustacean. They usually measure no larger than 15mm, and their brown/grey coloured exoskeletons are distinctive thanks to the numerous horizontal ridges running along them — as well as their protruding antenna. There are about 30 species of woodlice in Britain, which range from pink to brown to grey in colour. Woodlice in the house is usually caused by an overflowing garden that builds up around the perimeter of your home. Woodlice feed on rotting wood, mildew and decaying matter/plant life. In the home, they may feed on damp wood and mould, while in the garden, they will feed on any decaying or rotting natural matter.

Woodlice feed largely on damp decomposing plant material and are therefore part of thebiodiversity that helps nutrient recyclingin the garden. Woodlice thrive in moist conditions , so they don’t usually survive long inside thanks to our tendency to maintain a dry, warm indoor environment. If they do seem to be taking root in your home, it could be indicative of an underlying damp problem.Woodlice can come into houses from gardens but are unlikely to survive for long indoors unless they can find a damp place to shelter Woodlice don't do much damage to gardens as a whole. In fact, they do a lot of good, helping to break down dead plants and increasing soil fertility. However, there may be instances, when raising seedlings for example, when damage can be quite extensive and control measures are worthwhile. Woodlice are more likely to be damaging in greenhouses. Woodlice, also known as pill bugs are harmless pests. They come in a variety of species in the UK but the most common one is an oval-shaped crustacean. They are easy to identify due to their distinctive horizontal ridges and brown / grey coloured exterior. Although they may nibble a few seedlings, they are not at all destructive to garden plants and perform the essential function of eating decaying or dead plant matter, and also (usefully if you have a dog!) animal dung." Read More Related Articles

If you have woodlice in your house, a woodlice smoke bomb is an effective way to treat an area in one swoop. The insecticidal smoke is very good at getting to places you might not think to treat yourself and also areas with restricted access. Recommended Products TheWildlife Trusts is a movement made up of 46 Wildlife Trusts: independent charities with a shared mission. Woodlice are arthropods. Their bodies are divided into segments and their legs have several joints.

General woodlice FAQs

Indoors, the warm, parched atmosphere of the home will be too dry for them to survive, and draught-excluder strips around doors and windows should prevent their entry. Are there any natural enemies of woodlice? Woodlice are fascinating insects and when it comes to finding out what they eat, their name speaks for itself. Of course, having a swarm of woodlice in the bathroom, attic or basement is not something you should just put up with. Seeing woodlice in the upper areas of the property could be a sign of an infestation developing in the guttering, so you may need to have this investigated and treated by a pest control engineer to eliminate the issue. They can cause superficial damage to wooden objects — including pieces of furniture, wooden floors, beams etc. — and will congregate in dark, damp areas of the home. In the garden, woodlice will feed on decaying leaves and the like; they won’t cause much harm or distress to healthy plants, and will actually be helping you out by removing detritus from window boxes and bedding areas.

Woodlice are not overbearing creatures, and the signs of an infestation may be difficult to spot; in fact, you may not be aware of an issue until you see multiple woodlice wandering through your home. Woodlice are a common household nuisance in the UK. In small numbers, they don’t pose much of a problem, but a woodlice infestation can become difficult to handle and hard to stop. While woodlice won’t pose much of a risk to your health, an infestation is not a pleasant thing to deal with; this article will help you understand why woodlice are appearing in your home, as well as how you can prevent an infestation from occurring. Woodlice are not particularly harmful outdoors but can be if they end up indoors. They may occasionally nibble young seedlings, but they are generally more interested in dead leaves and decaying material. The Common Woodlouse feeds on dead and decaying matter and is an important nutrient-recycler in the various habitats it lives in. Read More Related Articles Many commonly overlooked insects are actually important nutrient-recyclers in the habitats they live in.

Are woodlice harmful?

Garden woodlice usually prefer to feed on decomposing plants rather healthy ones. However, there are instances where they can damage softer plants e.g. seedlings and fruit plants. What causes woodlice in the house? In turn, they are eaten by many other species including common toads, common shrews, ground beetles, harvestmen and by some spiders", James said.