get rid of woodlice ...

Savvy_Sue

Have done a whole forum search and was surprised not to find any solutions involving 'vinegar' - if I've missed them please can someone point me in the right direction?

anyway, at work we have started renting a semi-basement and it is crawling with big fat juicy woodlice. I know at least one of the places where they are coming from: in the below ground level room there is a window, hard to describe but the top half of this opens onto a small semi-circular 'bit' which has a glazed 'roof' and airbricks but is basically enclosed. You can see them all milling around at one spot in there. And just below that window is one of their favourite spots. We are not going to be able to get 'into' that outside bit but I think we'll be able to stick a vacuum cleaner hose down there and suck them all up.

I know they like damp places, and we probably have a few bits of damp skirting board which are encouraging them. And in a basement it's going to be a fun job to keep them at bay anyway.

But I really would like to kill 'em all off and discourage them from coming back. So any suggestions - or even recipes? If you can buy a commercial solution, does it work?

We don't have children in the building, or pets, so deadly chemicals are allowed ...

safesound

Hey Savvy_sue, my boyfriend is a pest controller and he says look for a product containing 'bendiocarb' (he says most garden type places will stock it, but you may have to look at the ingredients as its the chemical not a brand name). He said if you cant get it through the window as a powder, mix it with some water and use a directional sprayer (again from garden type places). You *must* wear gloves though as its a bit poisonus (sp?) and listed as cancerous, its also banned in europe and the US, but hey it works <g>
He said spray all over the area (including outside the 'bit' if you can get at it) and let it dry, it'll then have a residual effect and kill any little blighters that come in afterwards.
Alternatively you could contact a qualified and experianced pest controller to come and do it for you but they can charge upwards of £200

Savvy_Sue

Hey, that Thanks thing is clever! But here's an extra one ... Thanks!

Anyway, we did wonder about the council pest control, have had them in for mice :eek: but I will head off looking for poisonous chemicals tomorrow!

Nush

First of all I used my hairspray tin and a lighter as a make shift blow torch to kill all the buggers but then more came.

I got tins of Raid (the red tin) from Tesco it kills the current ones and leaves a barrier for two weeks, once we sprayed the stuff they all headed in one direction and tried to get out which showed us where the problem was.

The two week barrier gave us enough time to fill the hole in the wall behind the skirting where they all got in and out.

Hope this helps

Galtizz

Nush wrote:

First of all I used my hairspray tin and a lighter as a make shift blow torch to kill all the buggers but then more came.

LMAO Blowtorches work on ants too, just lift patio slabs and burn, keeps them away for months if not years

Sorry, no helpful advise on the woodlice. I had a big problem with them in my front room. The skirting board and the carpet was damp so they kept coming up through the floor. I have replaced the carpet and the skirting board and filled in any gaps with a little bit of silicone and I haven't seen a woodlouce (sp?) or a spider in there for ages. Doesn't really help you unless you fill up every hole with silicone, which you probebly don't want to do. Sorry

Ken68

Hi SaVVy......long term, you need to introduce a predator. Not quite sure what eats woodlice...hedghogs perhaps ...spiders...there is a lotin Goooogle 'woodlice predators'.

Savvy_Sue

Ken68 wrote:

Hi SaVVy......long term, you need to introduce a predator. Not quite sure what eats woodlice...hedghogs perhaps ...spiders...there is a lotin Goooogle 'woodlice predators'.

:rotfl:and trying to decide what predator would like to live in a brick lined whitewashed semi-circular 'well' that's 3-4 feet deep with no access to any food other than woodlice!

We did wonder about keeping the woodlice as a sort of 'attraction', have seen ant runs and glass fronted bee hives which all have a certain something, however this would only work if the woodlice would stay in the 'well' rather than coming into the building.

Will google later ...

I note no-one's offered recipes - they are really big and juicy!

Savvy_Sue

Nush wrote:

First of all I used my hairspray tin and a lighter as a make shift blow torch to kill all the buggers but then more came.

:rotfl:I think I'd find a proper blowtorch myself! But not sure the landlord would approve ... plus access to their main entry point is difficult, I don't think we'd get a blow torch close enough!

Nush wrote:

I got tins of Raid (the red tin) from Tesco it kills the current ones and leaves a barrier for two weeks, once we sprayed the stuff they all headed in one direction and tried to get out which showed us where the problem was.

The two week barrier gave us enough time to fill the hole in the wall behind the skirting where they all got in and out.

Now THAT sounds very helpful.

Boss has gone out in search of deadly chemicals today: we will see where they all try to scurry off to and hunt for holes!

Galtizz

Savvy_Sue wrote:

I note no-one's offered recipes - they are really big and juicy!

Recipes - :eek: be warned, this is discusting (especially the sushi) so don't look if you're squemish.

The_Biff

I think its rotting wood that they like, so have a good look round. I had loads on my old allotment, where the fire had been, & I figured I would shovel loads into my wheelbarrow & drown them. I was shocked to find that they would not drown & are related to shrimps.
Since then I have a weedwand (propane) which is good for getting them (& also starting the Barbq).

theotortoise

Savvy_Sue wrote:

:rotfl:and trying to decide what predator would like to live in a brick lined whitewashed semi-circular 'well' that's 3-4 feet deep with no access to any food other than woodlice!

I could lend you my Jack Russell. She eats anything that crawls...woodlice, spiders, millipedes, ants. Anybody would think I don't feed her!