I've decided I should know more about bugs. Partly cuz my job these days is to watch flies. That is what a PhD qualifies you for, you know. So, here is the first installation in my 4 million part series, better know an insect, in which I sit down with one Wikipedia article about some kinda bug. Today's subject: the roly poly, aka the pillbug, aka woodlice of the family Armadillidiidae.
We all know, of course, that roly polys can roll up into little balls to protect their tasty insides from predators. Here is a surprising factoid: roly polys are not insects! They're crustaceans. Count them legs! 14! Wow, who knew? Not you! Don't you pretend you knew that!
What else did I learn? From the Beeb: "Woodlice eat rotting plants, fungi and their own faeces, but they don’t pee!" Awesome! Oh, and they can live for 3-4 years. That is a long friggin' time! Man, I should get me some pet roly poly's.
Above painting by Jean Bradbury taken w/o permission from here. Cool painting, Jean!
1 comment:
Hey there,
This is Gary from PlantCareToday.com
I'm emailing you today because we just published an article on Pillbugs.
Did you know Pillbugs are actually distant relatives of shrimp, crabs, and lobsters?
I noticed you included
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidiidae
in your post here:
http://breadandbutterforasmile.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-know-insect.html
Our article: Pillbugs - Are Roly Poly Bugs a Problem in the Garden?
... might make a nice addition and resource to your page. What do you think?
Review the article at:
https://plantcaretoday.com/pill-bugs.html
If you have any suggestions to improve the article please let me know.
All The Best,
Gary
PlantCareToday.com
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