Woodlice: Nature's Tiny Recyclers
Common name: Woodlice
Latin Name: Various species, including Armadillidium, Oniscus, Philoscia and Porcellio species
Function: Largely feed on decomposing plant material (detritivores) a vital part of nutrient recycling
Woodlice: Your Garden's Secret Helpers
Often mistaken for pests, woodlice are actually beneficial creatures that play a vital role in maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem. During the day they like to hide in cool damp places. I often find them underneath plant pots, logs or stones.
I can always find Pill Woodlice underneath plant pots, or trays of water left out for the birds to enjoy.
Understanding Woodlice
- A Diverse Group: While often grouped together, woodlice encompass various species, including common woodlice, pillbugs, and slaters.
- A Nocturnal Lifestyle: These creatures are primarily nocturnal, emerging at night to feed on decaying plant material.
- Essential Composers: Woodlice are crucial in the nutrient cycle, breaking down organic matter and returning essential nutrients to the soil.
What are woodlice?
Woodlice are terrestrial crustaceans belonging to the order Isopoda, there are 30 species in Britain five of which are often found in gardens. They shelter in dark damp places, especially where there is an accumulation of decaying plant material. They feed on this material and are an important part of the natural recycling process in a healthy garden.
I have a very healthy population of woodlice in my garden.
Benefits of Woodlice in Your Garden
- Soil Enrichment: By breaking down organic matter, woodlice contribute to the formation of healthy, nutrient-rich soil.
- Pest Control: While they may occasionally nibble on young seedlings or soft fruits, woodlice primarily feed on decaying matter which will always be their first choose. They are not considered a pest.
- Biodiversity Boost: Woodlice are a food source for various predators, including birds, spiders, shrews, and beetles, contributing to a balanced ecosystem.
Biology
There are several species of woodlice commonly found in gardens. They measure upto 1cm in length and are often grey in colour, with body segments sometimes flecked with yellow or pinkish brown markings. Some species, known as pillbugs, can roll themselves into a ball when threatened.
Woodlice produce eggs in spring which are retained inside the female's body until they hatch. The newly hatched woodlice, known as mancas, are kept in a brood pouch on the underside of the female for a few days before they disperse. If you check under plant pots you will often find baby woodlice, who are easy to spot as they are smaller and lighter in colour. The mancas shed their outer shells on a number of occasions as they grow bigger. They make it to adulthood by late summer and over winter before reproducing in their second year.
Here are some examples of woodlice:
- Pill Millipedes: Occur in many habitats, but especially in woodland, rough pasture, and farmland. Pill millipedes are small. Their trunk has 13 segments and the shape of the body plates allows them to roll into a tight ball with the head tucked in. Millipedes have many legs, two for each segment.
- Porcellionid Woodlice: Also known as the Common Rough Woodlouse. They are widespread where there is a humid micohabitat provided by rotting plant matter. The body surface of these woodlice can be smooth and slightly glossy or warty, but is usually grey or greyish brown with other markings. The last section of the antennae, called the flagellum, is composed of two segments. The body of some species is narrow, and these species can run quickly. Woodlice excrete ammonia gas and this gives large colonies a characteristic smell.
- Pill Woodlice: Occur in many habitats from shoreline to mountains; in leaf litter and debris in woodland and gardens. Light brown to black with yellow patches, these woodlice have a convex cross-section and a rounded hind margin. They are also known as pillbugs. When threatened, many can roll up into a ball to protect themselves. Some species, such as Armadillidium vulgare and A. pictum, make a more perfect ball than other species.
Managing Woodlice in Your Garden
Woodlice are beneficial and shouldn't be managed. By creating a balanced ecosystem in your garden no one species should every become a problem.
- Create a Balanced Ecosystem: Encourage a diverse range of predators, such as birds and toads, to naturally control woodlice populations.
- Woodlice are a vital part of a gardens biodiversity and should be encouraged to populate your garden.
- Woodlice rarely damage healthy plants and play a vital roll in recycling decomposing vegetation
- They are naturally abundant in a healthy garden
- Woodlice can come into houses but are unlikely to survive for long unless they can find a damp place to shelter. If you have an abundance of woodlice then sorting out any damp issues will solve this problem.
- Woodlice are food for many other creatures such as shrews, toads, centipedes, some spiders (woodlice spider), ground beetles and parasitic flies
By understanding the role of woodlice in your garden, you can appreciate their contribution to a healthy ecosystem and minimise any potential issues. These tiny creatures are often overlooked but play a vital part in maintaining a thriving garden.
You can find out more about woodlice at the British Myriapod and Isopod Group's website :
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