
Community identification
Woodlouse (specifically a Pill Bug or Sowbug)
Oniscidea (Suborder)
- Order & Family
- Order: Isopoda; Family: Armadillidiidae or Porcellionidae
- Size
- 3 to 30 millimeters
Natural Habitat
Damp, dark environments such as under logs, rocks, leaf litter, or in basements and crawl spaces.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily detritivores, feeding on decaying plant matter, fungi, and sometimes young plant shoots.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal creatures that seek moisture to avoid desiccation. Pill bugs (Armadillidiidae) can roll into a tight ball for protection, a behavior known as conglobation.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans; they do not bite or sting. They are highly beneficial to ecosystems as decomposers, recycling nutrients back into the soil and clearing organic debris.