What is the lifespan of a wood louse?

A common woodlouse can live for three-four years. Apart from man, its main predators are centipedes, toads, shrews and spiders.

What do wood lice eat?

As well as decaying wood, common rough woodlice feed on leaf litter, fungi, fallen fruit, dead animals and even faeces. They even eat their own excrement, an act known as coprophagy.

What is the purpose of a wood louse?

Although woodlice, like earthworms, are generally considered beneficial in gardens for their role in controlling certain pests, producing compost and overturning the soil, they have also been known to feed on cultivated plants, such as ripening strawberries and tender seedlings.

How long do porcellio Scaber live?

The young are reproductively mature after 3 months; the adult animals have a life expectancy of about two years.

Do woodlice play dead?

Although some species roll themselves into a ball using their outer casing as a defence against predators including birds, toads and spiders, the rough woodlice plays dead until the threat has passed.

Can wood lice swim?

They can’t swim or even float in water but they grow to the size of a small dog, can shin up trees, have claws powerful enough to open tin cans and can carry a load greater than the maximum luggage allowance on international flights.

Are woodlice helpful?

Woodlice, also known as slaters and pillbugs, are abundant animals in most healthy gardens and greenhouses. They are largely beneficial and cause little or no damage to healthy plants. Large numbers often occur in compost heaps, where they help break down plant material.

What should I feed my porcellio Scaber?

(ISOPODA: ONISCIDEA) In laboratory experiments with Porcellio scaber, the primary food (Norway maple litter) was supplemented with artificial (gelatin, bran) or natural (feces) food sources.

How many babies do isopods give birth to?

Often, there are as many as 200 eggs per brood. The eggs hatch in 3 to 7 weeks, and the young remain in the pouch another 6 to 7 weeks. Once the young leave the pouch, they never return. Some species produce only one brood per year, but others may produce two or more.