Species Insects & ArthropodsCommon Pill Bug

Common Pill Bug

Armadillidium vulgare

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Common Pill Bug (Armadillidium vulgare)

The Common Pill Bug, or roly-poly, is not an insect but a terrestrial crustacean — the only crustacean fully adapted to life on land. When threatened it rolls into a perfect sphere, protected by its overlapping armored plates. It breathes through gills that must remain moist, making it dependent on humid microhabitats. It is introduced from Europe and now cosmopolitan.

Habitat
Gardens, under rocks, logs, and moist organic debris
Diet
Adults: decaying plant material, fungi, and organic matter
How common
Common

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