Bug Identifier
Woodlouse (specifically a Pill bug or Sowbug)
Community identification

Woodlouse (specifically a Pill bug or Sowbug)

Armadillidium vulgare

Order & Family
Order: Isopoda; Family: Armadillidiidae
Size
5 mm to 15 mm (0.2 to 0.6 inches) in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Moist, dark environments such as mulch, leaf litter, under rocks, or decaying logs.

Diet & Feeding

Detritivorous; primarily eats decaying organic matter, fungi, and occasionally tender plant material.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal; often rolls into a tight ball (conglobation) when threatened; molts in two halves (biphasic molting).

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to humans; beneficial to ecosystems as decomposers that recycle nutrients and can help remove heavy metals from soil.