The woodlouse is a crustacean with 14 body parts. It can curl into a ball to protect itself from danger. The scientific name for the woodlouse is Oniscidea. There are around 4,000 – 7,000 woodlouse species. Within Britain alone, there are 40 species categorized into 10 families. Some types include the pink or rosy woodlouse, zebra isopod, nosy pill woodlouse, spiky yellow, giant orange, tropical grey, granny grey, dairy cow, or common woodlouse.
Woodlice exhibit an exoskeleton in shades of dark gray, brown, black, or occasionally reddish-orange with 7 plates. You can use a rotten potato to build a trap to check how many woodlice are in a room.
The woodlouse spider is not an insect but a spider. It is also known as pill bug hunter, sowbug killer, or stiletto spider. The scientific name is Dysdera crocata. There are around 70 eggs deposited at one time. They are usually found under logs, rocks, bricks, plant pots and in leaf litter in warm places, often close to woodlice. They hunt prey at night. Their preferred prey is woodlice, but they also hunt crickets, beetles, other spiders and centipedes.
The woodlouse spider’s bite may be painful and itchy but is not harmful or poisonous to humans or pets. The venom is not very harmful.
Why am I getting woodlouse in my house?
Normally, damp areas attract woodlice but in most cases, these crustaceans enter your home by accident and are found just wandering around. Woodlice may be found anywhere in your home but most commonly will be found on the ground floor having entered via poor seals around doors and windows or through air vents.
If you have them in your house, most likely there is a water leak affecting a timber floor. If you have them in every room it is probably damp under the floor. A single woodlouse, (pea bugs and roly-polies are also commonly used names due to the woodlouse’s ability to roll itself into a ball when in danger) may not bother you too much, however, an infestation of woodlice (the plural for woodlouse) is usually a sign that your home has sufficient damp and decaying wood for them.
Woodlice in the house can be nasty! But it’s actually fairly common for woodlice to make their way into your home, especially in the summer. They won’t be harmful to your health but you will still probably want to avoid having to deal with an infestation. Woodlice are harmless to humans. Common rough woodlice usually live for two to three years.
Some people may not regard woodlice as the most stimulating of pets, but most species breed readily in captivity and make an interesting addition to a classroom or laboratory display. Ideal containers are clear plastic sandwich boxes containing a thin layer of soil, a few pieces of bark and some leaf litter.
If you find woodlouse spiders in your home, there is no cause for alarm. What this means is that you either have an excess of clutter in your home or yard, or there is an active woodlouse population on your property.
One of the simplest and most natural techniques to remove woodlice from a home is by brushing the insect into a dust pan, gathering it up, and then disposing of the woodlice outside. You could also consider using a vacuum cleaner and emptying the contents outside in the garden or into a garbage bin.
Why are there Woodlice in my house? – Woodlice tend to be garden pests but do come in by accident. They will often enter through air bricks, around pipes, windows and doors which are not sealed or where the seals have become damaged.
What damage do woodlice do?
Woodlice do not usually damage healthy plants. They can become associated with damage which has other causes such as slug damage or plants that have died and begun to rot. Occasionally they damage very soft plant tissues, such as seedlings and sometimes strawberry fruits.
Woodlice and termites are often mistaken for each other due to their similar habitat preferences and diet. However, it is important to distinguish between the two as their behaviours and potential damage differ significantly. Woodlice primarily feed on decaying plant material and do not damage sound, dry wood. They may create shallow tunnels or bore holes on the surface of decaying wood.
Of these 45 species, only five are common: Oniscus asellus (the common shiny woodlouse), Porcellio scaber (the common rough woodlouse), Philoscia muscorum. Woodlice like damp, dark places and can be found hiding in walls, under stones and in compost heaps. Some species such as the common sea slater are only found on the coast.
Woodlice occasionally damage very soft plant tissues, such as seedlings and sometimes strawberry fruits. Female woodlice carry their offspring in their marsupia. In approximately two months, the young roly-polies emerge. They look like small roly-poly bugs, and if it is a species that can roll, it can do so at birth. These isopods molt up to a dozen times in their lifetime, and the average lifespan of a roly-poly is between two and five years.
Woodlice like damp, dark places and can be found hiding in walls, under stones and in compost heaps. Some species such as the common sea slater are only found on the coast. As the weather gets warmer and drier, woodlice look for damp places to hide out of the sun and can end up in your house. Move them to a shaded spot in the garden and fill in any holes they might have used to get into the house.
Woodlice feed on mould growth, leaves and rotting wood. They are known to damage wallpaper which may be due to feeding on minute mould growth on the paper causing incidental damage. Woodlice, like many other insects, get their water from their food. Consider spraying them with water to add moisture.
In a dry environment, they simply dry out. Because they are eaten by many larger garden dwellers themselves, their presence increases the chance of being able to observe hedgehogs, shrews, and more in your own garden. Although some people feel disgusted with woodlice, they are not dangerous for us, because they do not transmit diseases to us humans and also not to plants. In theory, they can even be eaten safely and then apparently always taste exactly like the substrate on which they feed.
Woodlice help the decomposition of cellulose in wood and paper. They also help break down animal feces and turn it into useful manure. These tiny creatures aren’t dangerous. They don’t sting, bite or transmit any disease, and they don’t cause material damage. Another plus: they aren’t attracted to our food. These miniature crustaceans are also a favourite food of many animals and, in some parts of the world, of humans as well.
They are largely beneficial creatures and cause little or no damage to healthy plants. They may cause superficial damage to wooden upholstery, but woodlice are otherwise benign. Getting rid of woodlice before an infestation is very simple; you can simply vacuum up woodlice as and when you see them. However a woodlice infestation indoors can cause significant damage to wooden objects including furniture, wooden floors and more.
Woodlice are fascinating insects and when it comes to finding out what they eat, their name speaks for itself. The woodlice make their way into your house most probably during the summer. Woodlice do not typically cause significant damage to homes or property, but their presence may be a nuisance. To get rid of woodlice, it is important to find and fix the source of the moisture problem and reduce humidity levels in your home. You can also try using a woodlice-control product or seeking the help of a professional.
Is a woodlouse a roly poly?
The Common Woodlouse (Armadillidum vulgare) is also known as the Roly-Poly or Pill Bug. They can roll up like an armadillo. Woodlice are familiar, but not vulgar. What kind of animal is a woodlouse? The grey and armoured Common Woodlouse is often found under rocks and in compost heaps. Woodlice have other names: pill bug, potato bug, roly-poly, sow bug, roll up bug, chuggypig, gramersow, butcher boy. They look like small bugs, and can roll up at birth. These isopods molt up to twelve times, and live two to five years. Woodlice are sensitive to metals and indicate healthy soil. You find woodlice wherever humid: under bark, in moss, and rotting plants. If many indoors, check for water leaks. Woodlice help gardeners by speeding up breakdown of dead plant material. But they also feed on living plant parts and seedlings. To reduce damage, provide alternative food like damp cardboard. Despite drawbacks, woodlice benefit gardens by cycling nutrients. Their presence signals healthy soil food webs.