
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
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.