Pill Bugs Classification
Pill bugs are knows as woodlice,sowbugs, and roly-polies.Despite the name Pill bugs aren't actually “bugs” they are classified as terrestrial isopods and fall under the class Crustacea.This class also falls under an even larger group called Arthropoda. Arthropoda consists of many Arthropods that have bilateral symmetry,segmented bodies,exoskeletons,jointed appendages,and numerous pairs of limbs.Pill bugs also have a flattened or round-backed profile,seven pairs of legs, and sharply-angled antennae.According to Dr.Jonathan Wright ”The broad head has 4 pairs of mouthparts and is followed by the 7 main trunk segments, which bear the walking limbs. Behind these are 6 smaller segments comprising the pleon. The pleon segments also carry limbs, but these are greatly modified. The first 5 pairs are the pleopods. These are flattened and form a set of overlapping gills visible on the underside of
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the animal.”(Dr.Jonathan Wright,1997, Pill Bugs).All these qualities make the Pill bug easily recognizable.Some species can even roll into a ball and are also nocturnal.They use these qualities in order to protect themselves against predators.Pill bugs also tend to avoid light and dryness.They are also known as scavengers because of the fact that they eat decaying plants, but they also feed on moss,bark,algae,fungus,and etc. Isopods have gills which they use to breath, if they live in an area with less than 50% of humidity then they will dry out and die.Their bodies don't hold any water so as a result they stay hidden during the day and are active during the night.Isopods mostly live in water but this group evolved and adapted to land living.There are about 12 different kinds of Pill Bugs which can be found in northern and central United States.They can also be found in coastal habitats and Florida wetlands.(Dr.Jonathan Wright,1997, Pill Bugs).Isopods positively impact the environment by feeding on decomposing plants and returning the organic material to the soil so it can be turned into nutrients for plants. They also act as a food source for animals such as frogs,lizards,newts and etc..(University of Arizona,n.d., Isopod,Pillbug,Sowbug Information.) The 4 main types of Pill bugs are the Cylisticus convexus, Porcellio Spinicornis, Porcellionides, and the Trachelipus Rathkei.
The typical lifespan for pill bugs is 2 to 3 years.They have 4 main life stages:egg,manca,juvenile,and adult.Pill bugs mate from May to September and the female lays eggs in a pouch full of fluid.The eggs then hatch after just a couple of days.Like all arthropods Pill Bugs grow by molting their hard exoskeleton.First the back half comes off and then a few days later the front half.You can tell that a Pill Bug is in the middle of molting if the Pill bug is gray or brown on one end and pink on the other. Pill bugs are sometimes considered as “pests”although they do not cause any harm to humans or any household items.Also, they do not lay their eggs indoors.Most of the time the indoor environment is too dry for them to survive so they die shortly after coming inside.They enter homes through sliding doors and other ground level entrances.To make sure that Pill bugs do not invade your home you must try to minimize any moisture around the
house While doing my research I learned lots of interesting things about the Pill Bug such as the fact that Pill bugs don't urinate because they have the ability to tolerate their ammonia gas which they can pass through their exoskeleton.They can drink water using their mouth parts but they also have special tube-shaped structures called uropods located in their rear end that they can also use.Pill bugs also eat their own poop.Each time a pill bug poops it loses a little bit of copper which is essential for them to live so they eat their own poop, a practice known as coprophagia.Like many other animals Pill Bugs can get viral infections.If a Pill Bug looks bright blue or purple its a sign of an iridovirus.Pill bugs also have blue blood.They have hemocyanin in their blood which contains copper ions and when their blood comes in contact with oxygen their blood appears blue.(Debbie Hadley, n.d.,Interesting Traits and Behaviors of Pill Bugs)
the animal.”(Dr.Jonathan Wright,1997, Pill Bugs).All these qualities make the Pill bug easily recognizable.Some species can even roll into a ball and are also nocturnal.They use these qualities in order to protect themselves against predators.Pill bugs also tend to avoid light and dryness.They are also known as scavengers because of the fact that they eat decaying plants, but they also feed on moss,bark,algae,fungus,and etc. Isopods have gills which they use to breath, if they live in an area with less than 50% of humidity then they will dry out and die.Their bodies don't hold any water so as a result they stay hidden during the day and are active during the night.Isopods mostly live in water but this group evolved and adapted to land living.There are about 12 different kinds of Pill Bugs which can be found in northern and central United States.They can also be found in coastal habitats and Florida wetlands.(Dr.Jonathan Wright,1997, Pill Bugs).Isopods positively impact the environment by feeding on decomposing plants and returning the organic material to the soil so it can be turned into nutrients for plants. They also act as a food source for animals such as frogs,lizards,newts and etc..(University of Arizona,n.d., Isopod,Pillbug,Sowbug Information.) The 4 main types of Pill bugs are the Cylisticus convexus, Porcellio Spinicornis, Porcellionides, and the Trachelipus Rathkei.
The typical lifespan for pill bugs is 2 to 3 years.They have 4 main life stages:egg,manca,juvenile,and adult.Pill bugs mate from May to September and the female lays eggs in a pouch full of fluid.The eggs then hatch after just a couple of days.Like all arthropods Pill Bugs grow by molting their hard exoskeleton.First the back half comes off and then a few days later the front half.You can tell that a Pill Bug is in the middle of molting if the Pill bug is gray or brown on one end and pink on the other. Pill bugs are sometimes considered as “pests”although they do not cause any harm to humans or any household items.Also, they do not lay their eggs indoors.Most of the time the indoor environment is too dry for them to survive so they die shortly after coming inside.They enter homes through sliding doors and other ground level entrances.To make sure that Pill bugs do not invade your home you must try to minimize any moisture around the
house While doing my research I learned lots of interesting things about the Pill Bug such as the fact that Pill bugs don't urinate because they have the ability to tolerate their ammonia gas which they can pass through their exoskeleton.They can drink water using their mouth parts but they also have special tube-shaped structures called uropods located in their rear end that they can also use.Pill bugs also eat their own poop.Each time a pill bug poops it loses a little bit of copper which is essential for them to live so they eat their own poop, a practice known as coprophagia.Like many other animals Pill Bugs can get viral infections.If a Pill Bug looks bright blue or purple its a sign of an iridovirus.Pill bugs also have blue blood.They have hemocyanin in their blood which contains copper ions and when their blood comes in contact with oxygen their blood appears blue.(Debbie Hadley, n.d.,Interesting Traits and Behaviors of Pill Bugs)