woodlouse
Roly-poly bug
A woodlouse is a small crustacean with a segmented, armor-like body, found in damp environments under logs, stones, and leaf litter.
Despite the name, woodlice are not insects but relatives of crabs and lobsters adapted to land.
Some species curl into a ball when disturbed, earning names like pill bug or roly-poly.
Plural: woodlice.
Land crustacean, rolls defensively
- sowbugTerrestrial isopod
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- arthropodJointed-limb invertebrate phylum
- invertebrateAnimal sans backbone
antennae · segmented · exoskeleton · molting · gills · detritivore · chitin · carapace
Land crustacean, rolls defensively
Ground matter for planting
- mulchProtective plant bedding
- compostDecayed organic fertilizer
- undergrowthLow forest vegetation
- dampSlightly wet
moisture · shade · crevice · log · bark · stone · cellar · greenhouse
External skeletal structure
- segmentsSeparate parts of something
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- gillsAquatic respiratory organs
- chitinArthropod shell polymer
carapace · legs · molt · curling · armor · plates · mouthparts · thorax
Eats dead organic material
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodegradationMicrobial breakdown of organics
- recyclingReprocessing used materials
fungi · bacteria · earthworm · millipede · springtail · compost · breakdown · saprophyte
pillbug
Land crustacean, rolls defensively
- sowbugTerrestrial isopod
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- arthropodJointed-limb invertebrate phylum
invertebrate · antennae · segmented · exoskeleton · molting · gills · detritivore · chitin · carapace · zoology
pillbug
Land crustacean, rolls defensively
soil
Ground matter for planting
- mulchProtective plant bedding
- compostDecayed organic fertilizer
- undergrowthLow forest vegetation
damp · moisture · shade · crevice · log · bark · stone · cellar · greenhouse · garden
exoskeleton
External skeletal structure
- segmentsSeparate parts of something
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
- gillsAquatic respiratory organs
chitin · carapace · legs · molt · curling · armor · plates · mouthparts · thorax · abdomen
detritivore
Eats dead organic material
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodegradationMicrobial breakdown of organics
recycling · fungi · bacteria · earthworm · millipede · springtail · compost · breakdown · saprophyte · microhabitat
- insectsant, ants, bee, bees, butterfly
- forest lifesquirrel, fox, rabbit, owl, chipmunk
- arthropodsarthropod, arthropods, Arthropoda, insects, insect
- creepy crawlyant, spider, beetle, centipede, millipede
- slow animalssloth, snail, tortoise, slug, three-toed sloth
- wood dwellersbark beetle, woodborer, termite, longhorn beetle, carpenter ant
wood, louse, woodpecker, woodcock, woodworm, isopod, woodlice, isopods