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Leather jackets coming under door

meganannewhite7meganannewhite7 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hi, 
Im looking for some help please. 
We moved into our new build in October 2021. Had no problems.
All of a sudden about 7 days ago we have been having leather jackets coming from under our front door (god knows how). Mainly in the morning but around 4 a day are coming through. We do share a little lawn out the front with our joining neighbours which I’m guessing is where they are coming from. 
Obviously I don’t want them coming through my front door but I also have a 14month old and I’m worried she’s going to find one and put it in her mouth. 
Does anybody have any solutions of how to stop this/get rid of them? 

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Years ago after alot of wet weather I had a large slug on the lounge carpet it had obviously squeezed through a gap. I think it was just too wet outside.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    edited April 2023
    Are you talking about woodlice (pic below)? I used to wrongly call woodlice 'leatherjackets'. How to Control Wood Bugs in your Garden Full Circle Farm

    Leatherjackets are the larvae of crane flies that live in lawns. Don't think they'd crawl into the house as they live underground, though I could be wrong. 

    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • meganannewhite7meganannewhite7 Posts: 2
    This is what they look like. I’ve had 5 somehow come under the door today. They are coming from the grass outside I’m assuming 
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    Maybe the grass area is too wet and they've had to find a less flooded place? I've got a leatherjacket problem I believe, having large areas of the lawn that looks bare where leatherjackets have cut the grass roots. Hope to fix it by watering in some nematodes for leatherjackets as soon as I can walk on the grass.
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Well eating one won't do her any harm they are not poisonous at least.  I think Jenny has probably given you the answer, nematodes watered into the lawn, it's only a temporary solution though and would need doing every year.
    As something temporary could you make a little barrier with a piece of wood and some silicone outside the door to stop them getting to it? It's not going to look pretty and will probably be a trip hazard but it might stop the little one getting some protein snacks.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Are you sure theu are leather jackets?  Your pic looked like a slug.  I get the occasional slug, I ususally find it dried out.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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