Although they go by many names, the woodlouse name is derived from their primary residence in old wood. Scientists believe that the first woodlice were marine isopods which is why some call them terrestrial isopods.

If you have ever rolled over a piece of old wood, you've seen a couple of woodlice scurry away. The most remarkable fact about woodlice is that they are not bugs or insects but actually crustaceans. The woodlice belong to the isopod order that has over 3000 species and has been around for close to 150 million years. Read the full article to find out more interesting facts about the woodlouse.

The woodlouse is a terrestrial isopod of the class Crustacea and sub-order Isopoda. Here are a few cool facts about the crustacean.

Fun Facts

• Woodlouse is also called pill bugs, sow bugs, and slaters, among numerous others.
• The woodlouse breathes through gills which necessitates a damp environment. As a result, the woodlouse prefers to live in damp conditions under rocks or wood.
• Their diet includes dead plant matter like leaf litter, fungi, and decayed wood.
• Woodlouse does not urinate; instead, they excrete their ammonia as a gas through their porous shells.
• The female woodlouse does not need a male to produce eggs. She holds the eggs on her belly until they hatch in a few days.
• In the wild, the woodlouse is preyed upon by spiders and other insectivores.
• The female woodlouse can hatch up to 25 eggs at a time.
• As for habitat, the woodlouse leaves everywhere except for the Antarctic.