Ways of penetration of wood lice in the bathroom and methods of struggle

If small insects or arthropods appear in the apartment, this can indicate either a violation of sanitary standards, or a change in the microclimate. And whoever settles next to us, it is rather difficult to call such a neighborhood pleasant. Today we’ll talk about where and why wood lice are put in the bathroom, and find out with what means you can get rid of it.

Where and why do wood lice come from?

So, wood lice. From the very name of this creature it is clear that it is somehow connected with water. So it is - being a land crustacean and having gills, wood lice are always settled in humid places. For example, in nature they can be found on the banks of reservoirs under rocks or on the ground under fallen trees. And they choose the appropriate premises - these can be:

• cellars;
• basements;
• Warehouses
• heating mains;
• various technical rooms;
• garages attached to the wall of a multi-storey building;
• even attics with a leaking roof, where parasites breed thousands.

And if your house has such extensions or premises, then the answer to the question of where do woodworms come from in the bathroom becomes obvious - through the ventilation system they can come from a damp basement or go down from a wet attic. And when in the bathroom these creatures find optimal conditions for themselves, they will certainly remain in it for a long time.

On a note! Woodlice are quite mobile, but they move with great difficulty along sheer walls. For this reason, most often these crustaceans are found in apartments located on the first and last floors of a residential building!

Mokritsy are absolutely not afraid to settle next to a person and for them there is not much difference what kind of room it is - residential or abandoned. The main thing is that it is always humid, damp and moderately warm. Now think about what conditions are currently created in your bathroom. Perhaps a pipe leaks there, the ventilation is poor, and after water procedures you leave the tile moist - this will be the zone of increased comfort for wood lice.

Settlement occurs as follows: first, several individuals appear in the apartment, and due to its small number, this flock remains unnoticed for a long time. This situation is due to the fact that wood lice are active only in the dark, and in the daytime, settling in a private house or apartment, they usually hide under skirting boards, under a tile in the bathroom, in the corners where wet rags are stored, under the bathtub and etc. A newly made family is found somewhat later, when the number of individuals reaches several tens.

On a note! Sometimes wood lice can come to your apartment only because there are already a lot of individuals in the place of their breeding - overpopulation of the nest!

It is not difficult to recognize a licefish - it is a small crustacean with an oval and slightly convex above the body, on the head there are antennae and a pair of tiny eyes. The integument is painted gray. Sometimes in the bathroom you can find white wood lice. These are all the same crustaceans, but only after molting.

Features of food in residential premises

But not only humidity and dampness are prerequisites for wood lice to come and firmly settle in the living room. They also need a food source. At first glance, it might seem that the bathroom has absolutely nothing to profit from. But this is not so.
Most woodlice feed on rotting organics and process dying parts of plants. In general, considering the diet of these creatures, they can be attributed to the minimalists. And at the same time, they do not change their usual menu even when they are in the living room. So, what do woodlice eat in the bathroom. Here, their diet may include:

• mold in the corners of the room and under the baseboards;
• mucus on the tile;
• a thin layer of dust on the surfaces of the cabinets;
• fungus under the bathtub and elsewhere.

The special structure of the body allows wood lice to penetrate into almost any cracks and other inaccessible places in the bathroom. And if there is always high humidity, then they will surely find food for themselves.

Malware

The wood lice do not cause much harm. Their appearance is more than unaesthetic, but at the same time they are not aggressive, not annoying, like some buzzing flyers, they do not bite and are not able to penetrate the skin, and therefore they cannot “award” a person with dangerous diseases.

On a note! There is evidence that wood lice carry on their bodies pathogens and viruses. However, they have no evidence base and at the moment are only an assumption!

The fight against wood lice is carried out due to the fact that their proximity is unpleasant, especially when there are a lot of these creatures. Moreover, the realization that some time ago these creatures lived in a dirty basement among rat and mouse excrement, only encourages the speedy adoption of measures. It is then that the owners begin to look for effective means that will help to remove all small crustaceans from the bathroom.

Methods of struggle

For the destruction of wood lice, an integrated approach should be used. And it all starts with the creation of conditions unfit for their living and breeding.

1. Since woodlice come from damp, it is first necessary to dry the room in which they settled. To do this, after taking a bath or shower, leave the door open for a while and always wipe the walls and floor dry after water procedures. Additionally, a heated towel rail can be installed in the bathroom.
   

   On a note! In dry rooms, these tiny crustaceans are unable to live, because they breathe through the gills moistened with a thin water film, which is formed in a humid environment and allows oxygen to be absorbed from the air!

2. The second step is to restrict access to wood lice in your apartment from the outside. As mentioned above, they can enter the bathroom through the ventilation shaft, so a mesh with a small mesh should be installed on each ventilation hole.
3. Carefully inspect the room and carefully repair all cracks found in the walls, floor and ceiling. The same applies to the riser, as well as the hole through which the water pipe passes - in these places gaps often form, through which many parasites travel. If a leak in the water pipe is detected, then it is also necessary to urgently fix it.

And when all these steps are completed, then you can proceed directly to the destruction of individuals living in the room.

Choose a tool

So, in order to get rid of woodlice that managed to settle in your bathroom, you can use both folk remedies and insecticides.

On a note! If there are not many wood lice, then often for their complete elimination, drying the room and a few pinches of salt scattered in the corners are enough. But when there are a lot of individuals, then you can not do without chemicals!

• Aerosols - such products are most convenient for use in small rooms, just in such as a bathroom and bath. Here you can apply any insecticidal spray from insects: Clean House, Raid, Raptor, Neo, Combat, etc. They show very high efficiency and bring quick results.
• Insecticide concentrates can also help in the fight against wood lice. Such funds are sold in the form of concentrated solutions, which should be diluted with water according to the instructions. For domestic use adapted drugs such as “Xulat Micro”, “Lambda Zone” and “Delta Zone”. They can be purchased in a small package, which is very convenient for use in a small space, they are practically odorless and have a prolonged effect.
• If wood lice appeared in the bathroom, then getting rid of them is quite possible with the help of dusts. These include: crayon "Masha"," Clean House ", powder" Neopin "and" Phenaxin. " They are simply scattered around the perimeter of the room or continuous lines are drawn near the baseboards and from time to time they renew the layer toxic to pests. In addition, it is also worth crayons to process the places around the ventilation hatches. Then the new "guests" are guaranteed to die some time after they walk along the drawn line.
• Gels that everyone usually uses to get rid of cockroaches and ants. Their composition is attractive for wood lice, so such funds can be used against them. In terms of effectiveness, they are similar to solid dusts - crayons.
• Poisoned bait - classic balls of boric acid and egg yolk are a very effective option. Woodlice will willingly eat them, after which they are guaranteed to die from poison.

On a note! However, a more effective bait would be a mixture of egg yolk with any powder insecticide - you can use the same "Lambda Zone" or "Delta Zone"!