The woodlouse, just like insects, harvestmen and spiders, belongs to the arthropods. They are also called basement moths. Their closest relatives are the lobsters. Although woodlouse has adapted to life on land, they do need a moist environment to survive. The prehistoric animal is quite shy and usually rolls up into a ball when touched. Usually woodlice are dark gray or brown.
The woodlouse
The woodlouse is rather flat in shape and a mostly gray colored animal with 7 pairs of legs. The back consists of overlapping scales that look like armor. This is his defense against enemies. The color is usually dark gray or brown. When touched, woodlice tend to roll up into a ball. On the head, there are two long antennae between the eyes, they have gills on the hind legs that must always be kept moist so that they can breathe. They live on decaying organic matter. Woodlice are quite shy. You can find them under a stone or piece of wood that has been in the garden for a long time. Piss beds look prehistoric, they are. They have hardly changed.
Types of woodlice
Sometimes several types of woodlice can be found in one place. For example, there are shiny and always slightly spotted Common Woodlice. In the same place you can also find, for example, the Ruwe Woodlouse. This is also called the “common woodlouse”. These are usually dark gray, although they also come in a yellowish, pink or bright blue color.
So you also have the Moss louse, also a common woodlouse. This is available in even more color variants than the Common Woodlouse, such as: yellowish, brownish, reddish or even greenish. The Moss louse is very similar to the Common Woodlouse, but the base color is brown and not gray. The lifestyle of these two types of woodlice does not differ much from each other.
Reproduction
The woodlouse reproduces by means of eggs. The female mates with several males several times a year. The eggs are very small and can hardly be seen with the naked eye. As the female grows, the number of eggs she carries will increase. The eggs are carried by the female on the body in a kind of brood pouch. This pouch is filled with a protective liquid. The larvae hatch from these eggs after about four weeks. These resemble the adult specimens, but are white in color and only a few millimeters in size. They start reproducing in early spring and they keep multiplying continuously. Unless it is too hot. In that case they will not reproduce.
The habitat
Woodlice are found all over the world and are one of the most successful orders of crustaceans.
During the day, woodlice cannot be seen that often. Usually they become active in the evening, but especially at night. They are mainly found under fallen leaves, under rubble, stones or flower pots in the garden. They seek out dark and damp places. They prefer to live in groups.
Food
The main food source of the woodlouse is formed by folding out humus soil. This contains vegetable decaying material. The almost digested humus in the soil contains enough nutrients for this animal. They eat the waste in nature. If they cannot find a rich, acidic soil, they will eat from the fleshy plant parts of living plants. If there is a longer dry period, they will also eat dead animals or even their own excrement in extreme hunger. The woodlouse can live for about one to one and a half years, provided they can find a place to hibernate. The woodlouse is very welcome in a compost bin. They contribute to a conversion of the compostable material.
Are woodlice harmful?
Woodlice will never cause major damage in the garden. You can sometimes see it when there are dead plant parts. The flower pots will not damage them. If you want to get rid of the woodlice, it is best to lift the flowerpot and sweep the woodlice with a dustpan and brush. You have to repeat this regularly. The woodlouse will not cause nuisance under a flower pot. They hardly show themselves. If they are in places where they are not desired, such as in the house, there are (environmentally friendly) products for sale, such as woodlice mucilage traps and pest sprays. The natural enemy of the woodlouse is the hedgehog. The hedgehog is also an evening and nocturnal animal and then forages its food together. They also like to be eaten by frogs, toads and shrews.