Common Woodlouse
Oniscus asellus
A small terrestrial crustacean found under logs, stones, leaf litter, and damp garden debris, especially where humidity stays high. It feeds mainly on decaying plant matter and fungi, helping recycle nutrients back into the soil. When disturbed, it relies on its hard exoskeleton, stillness, and retreat into dark crevices rather than speed. Unlike many crustaceans, it lives on land but still breathes through moisture-dependent gill-like structures, so it avoids drying out.
- Type
- Shell
- Conservation status
- NE