Ghost

Ant Woodlouse (Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii)

We have a few cut log pieces dotted along the edges of our drive to keep the AirB&B folks next door from driving over and parking in our garden, which they were doing before. We've found that turning those logs over occasionally reveals all sorts of creatures. The last time I looked, I found these tiny white woodlice amongst an (unfortunately disturbed) ant colony. They're Ant Woodlice (Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii) and, as their name suggests, they're well-known for associating with various species of ants. Small (5mm or just over 3/16 of an inch) and blind, they live within the colony, eating droppings and mildew. Their short antennae and oval shape help to distinguish them from other small, pale woodlice. In the British Isles, they're widespread in semi-natural grasslands, churchyards, gardens and roadside verges across southern England, Wales and south-eastern Ireland but are rare further north and west. Elsewhere in the world, they're found across much of Europe and have been introduced to North America and Australia.

Rough Woodlouse

Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)

When I reached the top of the stairs in the house the other day, I found this little fellow trundling across the carpet—a long way from any of the "damp corners" that these tiny crustaceans typically prefer. It's a Common Rough Woodlouse, a relative of the lobsters and shrimps of the sea and the second woodlouse species for the property. After scooping it up for a few photos, I put it out into our very damp garden, where it will hopefully thrive. When I examined it closely, it was easy to see that it was quite different from the Common Pill Woodlouse we found in October. For one thing, it has a flanged "skirt" all around the edges of its body. And it can't roll itself into a tight armoured ball. It's covered with rough little nubbins on its plates, and has larger eyes than the Common Pill Woodlouse does. Plus it has two spiky uropods sticking out the back. Woodlice use those uropods to help shed water (eg. raindrops) from their bodies; they hold the two uropods together and press them repeatedly against the ground until all of the water has drained off. This is one of the most common species of woodlouse in England and Wales—and the species most likely to enter houses. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including some which are slightly drier than those preferred by other woodlouse species (including upstairs carpets, perhaps?). Like all of Britain's woodlice, it's primarily a vegetarian. Surprisingly, these small creatures can live two or three years, so maybe we'll be seeing our visitor again some day.

Tiny armadillo

Common Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare)

Every now and again, we spot a woodlouse scurrying along the baseboards in our bathroom; I'm not quite sure how they get in. I suppose that since the room is on the ground floor, they're coming through the vents or climbing up through the windows when they're open in the summer. (With few mosquitoes, we don't worry about window screening here.) However they get in, we turf them out when we find them. But this time, I used my handy new guide from the Field Studies Council to try to identify it first — and managed to do so! This little chappie is a Common Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare), identified as such by its long, pointed antennae, its rounded back end (with no "protrusions"), and its shiny, uniformly grey colour. Its scientific name is a nod to its ability to curl itself into an armour-plated ball when threatened, just like an armadillo would. Despite the fact that it's largely limited to Wales and southern and eastern England and Ireland, (and only coastally north of there), it's considered one of Britain's "big five" woodlice. It's found in a wide range of habitats, both natural and human-created, and is very common where it occurs. Like most woodlice, it's primarily a vegetarian, feasting mostly on decomposing plant material. It can live up to four years, with females producing somewhere between two and four broods during that time. Believe it or not, woodlice were formerly used as recipe ingredients — woodlouse sauce, anyone? — and swallowed whole to treat various stomach ailments. Thank goodness for modern medicine!