Common Pillbug
Armadillidium vulgare
Adult common pillbugs are terrestrial isopods found in gardens, forests, cellars, and compost piles wherever cool, damp cover is available. They are detritivores, feeding mostly on decaying leaves, wood fibers, algae, and fungi, and they are most active at night or after rain. When threatened, the body rolls into a near-perfect ball that protects the legs, antennae, and softer underside. Unlike many similar woodlice, this species is especially well known for complete conglobation, the defensive ball-form that gives pillbugs their name.
- Type
- Shell
- Conservation status
- NE