For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
Southern Pill Woodlouse
Scientific name: Armadillidium depressum
Size: Up to 20mm long
Distribution: Found mainly in southern England and Wales
Months seen: All year round
Life span: Up to 3 years
Habitat: Damp, shaded places such as under stones and logs
Food: Dead plant matter
Special features: The Southern Pill Woodlouse is usually grey in colour - sometimes with yellow patches. When disturbed it can roll into a ball with a slight gap where the tail doesn't quite meet the head. The tail end splays out slightly.
If you turn the creature over you'll notice it has two pairs of lungs, which appear as white patches near the tail end.
The eyes are composed of a group of shiny black bumps (called 'ocelli'). The end of the antennae (the Flagellum) is in two segments.
Something you'll notice if you keep woodlice in a container for a few hours is that they produce rectangular and square shaped droppings!
Related Pages
