Pillbug Control
Reduce Nuisance Pillbug Activity Around Your Home & Landscape
Pillbugs, also known as roly-polies or woodlice, are moisture-dependent pests that live in soil, mulch, and organic debris. While they do not bite or spread disease, large populations can invade homes and damage tender plants when outdoor conditions become unfavorable.
Pestcom Pest Management provides professional pillbug control services focused on moisture reduction, habitat modification, and perimeter protection to prevent repeated invasions.
What Are Pillbugs?
Pillbugs are small, gray crustaceans that live outdoors in damp soil, mulch, leaf litter, and landscape beds. They feed on decaying organic matter but will also chew on seedlings, roots, and soft plant tissue when populations are high.
Are Pillbugs Dangerous?
- They do not bite or sting
- They do not spread disease
- They do not infest furniture or stored items
Their impact is limited to nuisance activity and occasional landscape damage.
Why Pillbugs Enter Homes
- Overwatered lawns and gardens
- Thick mulch and leaf buildup near foundations
- Poor drainage and damp soil
- Gaps under doors, siding, and foundation edges
They cannot survive long indoors, but large numbers can accumulate inside during seasonal migrations.
Our Pillbug Control Process
1) Inspection & Moisture Mapping
- Locate harborage zones and organic buildup
- Evaluate irrigation, grading, and drainage
- Identify entry points around the structure
2) Targeted Exterior Treatment
- Perimeter treatments along foundations and doors
- Application to shaded, moist pressure zones
- Intercept migration before pillbugs enter the structure
3) Habitat & Moisture Correction
- Mulch depth and groundcover adjustments
- Irrigation and drainage recommendations
- Sealing small cracks and gaps
Preparing for Pillbug Service
Before we arrive:
- Pull mulch, planters, and debris away from the foundation
- Reduce irrigation near the structure
- Clear access to exterior walls
After treatment:
- Avoid watering treated areas for the recommended time
- Maintain a dry buffer along the foundation
- Monitor for new activity
Preventing Future Pillbug Problems
- Keep mulch thin and pulled back from the foundation
- Fix drainage and irrigation leaks
- Water lawns early in the day
- Seal gaps around doors and utility lines
- Remove leaf litter and organic debris
Pillbug Control Service Areas
We provide professional pillbug control services throughout our service region.
Looking for pillbug control in your city?
Visit one of our local pest control pages for area-specific service details.
Ready to Reduce Pillbug Activity?
Pillbugs may not be dangerous, but they do not belong in your home or landscape. Professional treatment stops migration and improves overall comfort.
Contact us today to schedule an inspection and restore your property.
Contact us now to schedule your inspection.
How Do We Exterminate Pillbugs?
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Same-Day Pillbug Inspection
Our technicians know a lot about pillbug infestations. We’ve applied pillbug removal treatments to hundreds of homes in our area. We know how to spot the signs of pillbugs immediately and where to find the source of the infestation. We will visit your home to search for:
- Possible infestation locations in the kitchen, bathroom, patio, and even in the walls.
- Signs of pillbugs, such as plant damage and sightings of the bugs themselves.
- Potential entry points for pillbugs, including cracks in the walls and foundation.
We complete a full inspection so we can understand the extent of the problem.
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Pillbug Treatment & Removal
We stop the infestation in its tracks by exterminating all traces of pillbugs in your home. Our treatments are tough on insects, but safe for your family and pets. This is what you can expect on the day of treatment:
- Our technicians come to your home at a time that is convenient for you, and they immediately get to work.
- We apply the necessary treatments to the infested areas of the home or yard.
- We inspect the infected areas to make sure every single pillbug is eliminated.
We use the most effective treatments in order to completely remove pillbug from your home. Our pillbug treatments are tough on pests but safe for your family and pets.
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Pillbug Preventative Treatments
Now that the pillbugs are gone from your Boise home, we make sure they never come back! To ensure that your home will be protected in the future, our technicians will do the following:
- Apply treatments in strategic locations to create a barrier around your home that keeps pillbugs out.
- Make recommendations to reduce the chance of an infestation, including sealing food containers and keeping surfaces clean.
- Return for regular treatments as necessary.
We want to make sure you never have to see pillbugs around your home again!
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Pillbugs in Our Area
Pillbugs can be found just about anywhere. They thrive inside and outside — in cold environments and hot ones. And they are located in nearly every corner of the planet, including Idaho.
In Idaho, you can find several types of pillbugs. The most common species in Idaho include:
- Armadillidium vulgare. This is the most well-known species of pillbug, often referred to as the common pillbug or roly-poly. It can roll into a tight ball when disturbed.
- Armadillidium nasatum. This species also has the ability to roll into a ball. It has a more elongated shape and a pronounced ridge along its back.
- Porcellio scaber. Porcellio scaber cannot roll into a ball. It has a rough, textured exoskeleton.
- Porcellionides pruinosus. This species has a more powdery appearance due to a fine layer of secretion on its exoskeleton. It is often found in moist environments.
- Cylisticus convexus. This species can partially roll into a ball and has a more convex shape compared to other pillbugs. It is less common but can still be found in Idaho.
You can find pillbugs in your kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, yard or even in the walls of your home. Our team of Boise-based pest technicians are experts in pillbug control. We know where pillbugs like to hide and how to get rid of them quickly. If you are experiencing pillbug problems or if you want to avoid silverfish from invading your property, give Pestcom a call.
Our FAQ
Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 208-795-3298 today!
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Do you offer commercial or HOA pest control?Yes. We provide commercial pest control for offices, restaurants, schools, multifamily properties, warehouses, and HOA common areas across Boise, Nampa, Meridian, and the broader Treasure Valley. Each program is built around the property's specific pest pressures, occupancy patterns, and compliance needs, and commercial agreements are negotiated by individual property and proposal with terms tailored to the owner or management company.
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Do you service rural properties, acreage, and homes near canals?Yes. The Treasure Valley has a mix of subdivision homes, acreage, agricultural property, and homes near canal corridors and irrigation ditches — each environment creates different rodent and insect pressures, and our technicians adjust inspection points and treatment plans accordingly. Properties near water sources typically experience heavier spider and web activity, and acreage often requires additional attention to outbuildings, entry points, and rodent harborage areas.
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Do you require a contract, and how does cancellation work?Pestcom uses a service agreement rather than a fixed contract — a 12-month initial agreement that converts to month-to-month after the first year. The agreement is mutual: we commit to delivering the services quoted at the agreed price, and you commit to giving us the opportunity to address any service concerns before canceling. If a concern is raised and we're unable to resolve it, no cancellation fee applies. Customers moving outside our service area without a transfer option are also exempt from any cancellation fee. After the first year, service is month-to-month and can be canceled at any time with no fee. Cancellations are processed via written notice or a conversation with our billing team that we document in writing. Commercial agreements are negotiated individually by property and proposal, and specialty services like bed bug, termite, and one-time treatments operate on service agreements rather than annual contracts.