Class: Higher crustaceans
Size: 0.5 to 2.0cm
Weight: Variable
Age: 6 to 24 months
Appearance: Dark grey to silver dorsal carapace
Sexual dimorphism: No
Diet type: Omnivorous or saprophagous
Food: Dead wood, carrion
Distribution: Worldwide
Original location: Unknown
Sleep-wake rhythm: Nocturnal
Habitat: Unspecific, but dark and damp
Natural enemies: Toad, spider, birds
Mating season: Possible all year round
Egg laying: 20 to 80 eggs
Threatened with extinction: No

• As a representative of the terrestrial isopods, the woodlouse belongs to the species of saproxylic crustaceans.
• In the course of evolution, some isopod species have evolved from aquatic to terrestrial animals.
• Among the terrestrial isopods, the most common representatives of this order are the woodlouse.
• Woodlice initially settled only in Western Europe, but were spread all over the world by humans.
• Since they prefer to live in the immediate vicinity of or in human dwellings, their population increases with the steady growth of settlements.
• Woodlice find their food under rocks, in the litter layer of wet deciduous forests, bushes and dead trees, as well as in cellars, gardens, stables, greenhouses and compost heaps.
• Their gills, which can partially breathe, are reminiscent of their original life as sea and freshwater dwellers. However, as these degenerated in the course of evolution, terrestrial isopods must also breathe through cavities between the front pairs of legs.
• Woodlice grow to 1.5 to 2 centimetres long and have an oval shape.
• The flat body is brownish grey to dark brown or lime grey with lighter edges. The dorsal armour has fine serrations.
• The underside of the body and legs is white to yellow in colour.
• Woodlice have a total of 12 split feet and 14 walking legs.
• The legs move up and down in a wave-like manner and thus enable comparatively nimble locomotion.
• During the day, woodlice stay in sheltered places under stones, piles of leaves or objects in damp and dark surroundings so that their respiratory organs do not dry out.
• At night, when it gets cold, the woodlouse leaves its hiding place to find food.
• It feeds mainly on dead plant material, rotting wood and carrion.
• In the past, when there were no refrigerators and tinned food, the woodlouse was an uninvited guest in the cellar pantry and would also eat food.