Unlike the three part body insects, woodlice have a number of broad plates covering the upper surface of their bodies. Their undersides are equipped with seven pairs of legs, another feature that differentiates them from the insects that have only six pairs of legs. Those that belong to the Armadillidium genus are able to roll up into a ball when threatened, hence the common names of armadillo bug, basketball bug, pill bug, and roly-poly.
This group has a domed exoskeleton that is usually gray in color, but develops a blue or purple tinge if it is infected with an iridovirus. Woodlice of the Porcellio genus have a flatter body that is usually brown in color and are frequently called sowbugs. These little crustaceans don't roll up when threatened, but scurry away as fast as possible. Need moist environments. As members of the otherwise aquatic crustacean class, it's not surprising that woodlice prefer moisture and shade.
Their breathing apparatus are essentially gills enclosed in a moist chamber. Since they lose water rapidly through their exoskeletons their very survival depends on a highly humid environment around them.
Due to the necessity of moisture, woodlice can be found living just about any place where the humidity is high and decaying plant matter is available. Decaying logs and under flat rocks are the places they find the conditions needed for their natural habitat. A popular behavior lab in high schools and college involves the way woodlice respond to a stimulus. Some exhibit kinesis, which involves rapid movement until the right conditions are found at which time movement the animal slows down.
Other animals exhibit taxis: the animal moves directly toward or away from a stimulus. When placed in a large tray with a moist paper towel on one side and dry towel on the other, the woodlice would move around randomly until they happened to find the moist towel.
Once they were in the higher humidity their motion would slow down and they would reverse direction if they started to move away from the humidity. Though they look like millipedes, woodlice are actually crustaceans, related to shrimps and crabs. This makes woodlice some of the few truly land-living crustaceans most have to return to the water to breed. Like their aquatic relatives they do not have a waxy body covering so they easily dry out.
This is why woodlice hide away in cool, damp places during the day and come out at night. The common rough woodlouse is one of the toughest of the UK woodlouse species, tolerating dry and salty conditions, such as coastlines. Thanks to their toughness they have survived being accidentally transported across the world by humans. Common rough woodlice now live on every continent except Antarctica, including some isolated islands like Hawaii.
Statistics Length: 1. Conservation status Common. When to see January to December. About These hardy minibeasts can be found sheltering under rocks in the garden or hiding in compost heaps, where they avoid drying out in hot weather. Common woodlice are important for their ability to feed off dead plants and creatures, recycling vital nutrients. There are 30 species of woodlouse in the UK in an array of colours from brown and grey to pink! How to identify The common woodlouse has smooth, shiny, grey 'armour' an exoskeleton made up of segments or 'plates' with yellow patches and lighter grey edges.
Distribution Widespread.
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