Wikijunior:Bugs/Woodlouse
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Woodlice are known by many names including pill bug, armadillo bug, potato bug, and roly-poly. They are crustaceans like crabs, or shrimp, but they live on land. There are more than 3000 known species.
[edit] How does it defend itself?
Many species can roll up into a small ball the size of a pill (that's why they're sometimes called "pill bugs") to protect themselves. Some species produce bad smelling chemicals through their uropods as a defense mechanism. Their hard shell also helps to protect them.
[edit] What stages of metamorphosis does it go through?
After mating, the female carries its eggs in a pouch under its body. These eggs hatch and the young woodlice remain in the pouch until they are big enough to survive on their own. As a woodlouse grows it sheds one half of its shell, then the other. It goes through gradual metamorphosis as the younglings get larger.
[edit] What special behavior does it exhibit?
[edit] How does this bug affect people?
Woodlice are a beneficial garden bug, helping to break down plant-matter and create soil.
