During a week where we've discussed a new leech with enormous teeth and the prehistoric ancestor to cockroaches, it seems appropriate to present isopod woodlice.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Naturalist Mark Fraser shows us this crustacean, which lives right in most of our backyards.
Mark says it is a true crustacean "just like a crab or a shrimp."
He admits that woodlice is "not the friendliest sounding name, but it is a harmless adaptable little species that feeds on decaying plant matter."
"Isopods are a success story and there are over 4000 species worldwide. They have adapted to take advantage of the moisture under logs, leaves and compost piles, allowing them to no longer need to live underwater like the rest of their family."
Predators who hunt them include birds, centipedes and the infamous woodlice spider.
"So the next time you
flip over a log or some leaves and spot one of these amazing little
creatures," Mark says, "remember they are not insects, but our own backyard
crustaceans."
Tags: Crustaceans, Video, Wildlife Conservation
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