What does a wood louse eat in a private house, and what do these insects eat in the apartment, including the bathroom, in the kitchen and in other places?

Unpleasant in appearance, initiating a feeling of disgust, wood lice belong to the genus of crustaceans, the order of the isopods. Despite this, their occurrence in the house gives rise to not quite pleasant emotions.

Nature decreed that the main habitat of these "wonderful" insects is dry land, but those areas where a sufficient amount of moisture accumulates do not receive light (places directly under stones, fallen trees, as well as in the basement, crevices, bath). So, during the day the wood lice are not visible, in search of food they creep out at nightfall. What do they eat in our homes? Let's talk about all this in our article.

Brief description of insects

ATTENTION: It turned out that these pests acquired their name due to the fact that they choose to settle in a damp place. Lead, as a rule, woodlice to a greater degree of nocturnal activity, hiding during the day in wet pallets or in the corners of greenhouses, verandas, balconies, terraces.

Woodflies are insects of grayish, dark or dark chestnut color., from three millimeters to two centimeters in length. In wood lice, the shape is usually elliptical; it is divided into sections, which are joined by plates on their backs.Any sector of the body contains one pair of legs (in general, only seven pairs of legs).

In wood lice, there are 2 tendrils; when danger arises, they simply fold up and pretend to be dead. The eggs are hatched in the folds of the tummy, then the larvae appear, and only then they crawl out.

What do they eat?

In the bathroomThere is no doubt moisture, but there is no food residue. Only this is not an obstacle, because where there is moisture, the walls, the floor, especially the corners, are covered with mold, this is a favorite delicacy.
On the kitchen wood louse will be able to settle down near sewage pipes, garbage - potato peelings, food - the best food for such a neighbor.
In the apartment. As a rule, woodlice can find food on the balcony, and also in the pantry, where vegetables are stored. In a limited place of urban living space there is less food than in natural conditions, however undemanding crustacean is able to limit itself to the minimum amount of food in the form of:
- green particles of various plants;
- feeders for existing pets;
- various pickles from a bucket of garbage.
In a private house. In the daytime, wood lice usually hide in secluded places, and people search for food in the dark.They are saturated with lean food, can eat as decaying plants, and also damage live ones. With a significant number of these crustaceans will be able to cause specific damage to plants in the house, in the garden.
In garages, attics, cellars. The weasels living in basements with leaking pipes find places that store fruit in the winter, moldy, or seeds that can seep into the room through cracks or large openings. In case it is not a very nutritious food, it will be enough for these insects. But in the cellars or cellars lice in terms of food space, as it is possible to find a carrot, a young onion, a sluggish potato. In some cases, these products are easy to find and on the balconies of apartments.
In wild nature. The process of feeding wood lice in the wild is not difficult to establish - food forms the environment - fragments of plants spoiled by moisture, branches, and tree bark, including remnants of dead organisms, rotten twigs, leaves.

How to get rid of them?

Modern substances are productively fighting with unnecessary occupants of the apartment.

Thus, from the wood lice can well help such resources:

Schabengel. Gel bait in a comfortable package that allows you to process even inaccessible places. Suitable also for the purpose of eliminating cockroaches, ants, and other insects. Packing 30 grams is enough for processing 3 rooms.
Tarax. A good anti-insect remedy, it can be used to fight domestic insects. The packaging is sufficient for processing a 60 square meter room. The drug will form a poisonous film, poisoning the crustacean, but not destroying it instantly, but giving it the chance to infect its fellow tribesmen. Means is harmless both for people, and for animals.
Varan. Multifunctional dichlorvos, not owning the smell. Functions as on flying insects, also on crawling.
Gett. Does not possess a powerful smell, it is almost not dangerous for inhabitants of the processed apartment. Also effective against cockroaches and bedbugs.
Tetrix. Quite an expensive tool (250 milliliters costs approximately 2000 rubles), however, since in the pure version the drug is in a very concentrated state, therefore 200 milliliters is enough for processing an apartment from 3 rooms.

IMPORTANT: Using a variety of chemical against lice, you should carefully study the instructions, do not exceed the allowed dose.

Despite the fact that numerous manufacturers assure the unconditional safety of the substance for people, it is more accurate to send small children to their relatives for a couple of days. In addition, you must be prepared that after processing woodlice will rapidly crawl around the apartment.

Who eats these crustaceans in nature?

No matter how hard the wood lice lurk, they are an obligatory link in the food chain.. And before a significant threat they are not rescued by chitin shell, the ability to fold. They will be fairly easy prey for the following predators:

Hedgehogs, rats, shrews.
Birds-predators hunting in the dark.
Reptiles, amphibians, among which various types of lizards, frogs, snakes.
Arachnids, especially the species, specializing directly in woodlice. And he has special devices that can get a "watermelon", including if he twisted.
Predator insects: wasps, certain types of insects and beetles.

Small crustaceans are considered a favorite food for residents of artificial ecosystems, for example, terrariums. Bred them in the form of food for spiders, snakes, and lizards.They are not so nutritious, but will be able to make changes in the diet of domestic predators. There are no problems with direct breeding of crustaceans, they are not capricious for food or microclimate.

Conclusion

If there are woodlice at home, do not worry, because they are safe. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to get rid of them. To do this, use special tools or folk methods. The basic rule for preventing the occurrence of woodlice is to keep the room in perfect cleanliness and dryness.