Pill bug (also commonly called Roly-poly, Woodlouse, or Potato bug)
Scientific Name: Armadillidium vulgare
Order & Family: Order: Isopoda; Family: Armadillidiidae
Size: Typically 8 to 18 mm (approx. 0.3 to 0.7 inches) in length.
Natural Habitat
Damp, dark places such as under logs, rocks, leaf litter, and in gardens/basements. They are land-dwelling crustaceans that require moisture to breathe through gill-like structures.
Diet & Feeding
Mostly detritivorous, feeding on decaying organic matter, rotting wood, and damp leaves. They occasionally eat young plants or seedlings.
Behavior Patterns
They are nocturnal and known for 'conglobation'—the ability to roll into a tight ball when threatened or to prevent moisture loss. They are slow-moving and often found in groups.
Risks & Benefits
They pose no risk to humans as they do not bite or sting. They are beneficial to the ecosystem as decomposers, recycling nutrients into the soil and helping to remove heavy metals from contaminated earth.
Identified on: 2/28/2026