Porcellio scaber, Common Rough Woodlouse

Common Name: Common Rough Woodlouse

Up to 17mm in length, Porcellio scaber, or the Common Rough Woodlouse, is probably the commonest species of woodlouse found in the UK, very often showing up in houses. Found throughout the UK, it loves damp, shaded places - lift any large stone, log, or even a pot from your patio and you'll find them, usually feeding on dead plant matter.

It is usually grey in colour, but can be mottled with yellow or brown. When viewed under a hand lens you'll see where the "rough" name comes from. The upper surface is covered in bumps. If you turn the creature over you'll notice it has two pairs of lungs, which appear as white patches near the tail end. The end of the antennae (the Flagellum) is in two segments. The eyes are composed of a group of shiny black bumps (called 'ocelli').

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