Slaters are small grey crustaceans that turn up in garden beds, under pots and, after wet weather, in laundries and along door thresholds. They are related to shrimp and crabs rather than to insects, and they need damp conditions to survive.
What is a slater?
The common rough slater, Porcellio scaber, was introduced from Europe and is now widespread in Australia, according to the NSW Department of Education's Field of Mars fact sheet. It has a flattened, oval body of overlapping plates, seven pairs of legs and long antennae, and grows up to about 20 mm. It is often confused with the pill bug, but a pill bug rolls into a ball when disturbed and a common rough slater cannot.
Why do slaters gather around the house?
Slaters live in cool, damp places such as under logs, rocks, bark, mulch, pots and leaf litter. Their bodies lose water easily, so they hide in shaded damp places during the day and are more active at night or in damp weather. They eat mostly dead and decaying plant material.
That explains where they build up around a house: mulch against the wall, pots stood on damp paving, leaf litter in a corner, a slow leak at a tap or downpipe. Once the population is large, some wander inside, usually through gaps at ground-level doors.
Are slaters a pest?
They are mainly decomposers. The fact sheet says that if large numbers are present they may nibble soft young plants, which is the usual complaint in vegetable patches. Inside the house they are a nuisance rather than a hazard.
How do you get rid of slaters?
The practical aim is to remove the damp shelter they depend on.
- Pull mulch, leaf litter and garden debris back from the walls and doorways.
- Move pots, stored timber and stones off the ground beside the house.
- Fix dripping taps, leaking downpipes and sprinklers that keep soil beside the walls wet.
- Improve drainage where water pools against the house.
- Seal gaps under doors and around pipes, and fit weather strips to ground-level doors.
When to call a pest controller
If slaters keep getting in once the damp is dealt with, a general pest treatment applies to the perimeter, eaves, window frames and entry points. Slaters often turn up alongside earwigs and silverfish, which like the same moisture, so fixing the damp helps with all three. To book an inspection or ask a question, contact us.
Common questions
- Are slaters harmful?
- Not usually. Common rough slaters mostly eat dead and decaying plant material such as leaves, wood and fungi. In large numbers they may nibble soft young plants, so seedlings are the main thing at risk.
- What is the difference between a slater and a pill bug?
- Pill bugs can roll into a tight ball when disturbed, and common rough slaters cannot. A common rough slater has a flatter body, a rougher upper surface and two small tail-like appendages at the back.
- Why are there slaters inside my house?
- They hide in cool, damp places and lose water through their bodies, so they shelter wherever moisture collects. Damp mulch, pots and leaf litter against the walls, and a damp laundry or bathroom doorway, are the usual starting points.
Need a hand with this in your home? Get a free quote or call 0430 007 651.