Sow Bug

5631       We found these bugs all around our garage tonight. It is very obvious that they were hiding around boxes left in the garage over winter. Now that spring is here I found them inside the garage and some around the outside if the house. My brother and friend are telling me they are silverfish and are very hard to get rid of and for the moment are contained out of the living area but we are quite concerned about these bugs getting indoors.  I live I’m Edmonton and it’s been warming up to spring like conditions for the past couple weeks already. The garage areas we noticed were dark and damp. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated in identifying and suggestions of how to control these bugs. Thank you.  Dearl

This is a terrestrial crustacean in the order Isopoda, possibly in the family Oniscidae. Isopods are known by many common names, including wood lice, pillbugs, sowbugs, roly polys, slaters, etc.; nearly all are harmless scavengers on decomposing organic matter, and will cause no damage. They breathe through gills that must be kept moist, so keeping indoor humidity levels low will discourage them from setting up housekeeping. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.