Marine
Isopod: Sea Slater
(01/19/2008) this one scared my little son, what is it?
Hello from Australia!
This one scared my 1 y.o. son this morning as he was playing
next to the door, he saw it running around (not too fast).
The thing is I have never seen something like it. The
body itself was about 1 inch long at least, actually, the
board itself is 95mm wide, so it looks more like 30mm for
the body. The spray didn't bother him, only the light of the
flash when I took a picture. I didn't think to take a picture
of its belly once I picked it up. Its shell felt rather
robust while holding it, lots of feet underneath... and notice
the sort of tails with those spike bits pointing upwards.
One thing that might help: I threw it over the balcony
into the water (sea water) and to my surprise, it sank immediately.
Because I don't know if my son touched it by mistake I'm willing
to know if it is any harmful... We are located in Port Stephens,
NSW Australia. Please let us know your findings... thank
you for your help!
Greg
Hi Greg,
This is a Marine Isopod, sometimes called a Sea Slater, or
Beach Cockroach or Rock Louse. We just received a photo from
Florida as well. We suspect your specimen is in the genus
Ligia, perhaps Ligia
oceanica. They are harmless scavengers and can get very
numerous on rocky beaches. We are surprised that you have
never noticed them since your house is on the beach. It is
curious how this Sea Slater found its way into your home since
they rarely stray away from the crashing waves. Perhaps a
luckless seagull dropped it on your balcony.
Marine Isopod: Beach Cockroach
(01/18/2009)
Hi,
Thanks for taking the time to look. Realize this is not a
true insect, but many of the "bugs" you i.d. are
not, so hope you can tell me what this little (about an inch
long) tank is! It was seen on a beach on Cedar Key in Florida
in late summer. Thanks in advance for any help.
Jacque Merritt
Hi Jacque,
This is a Marine Isopod. We are not sure if it is Ligia occidentalis,
which is found on the west coast, or some other species in
the genus. It is sometimes called a Beach
Cockroach Rock
Louse or Sea
Slater.
Iridovirus Infected Blue Pill Bug
(04/27/2007) blue sow bug
I just wanted to know if a blue sow bug is rare? Or why it
is blue. I thought it was very pretty looking.
Thank you,
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
Our guess on this, and we must emphasize the guess part, is
that your Pill Bug might be freshly molted and has still not
darkened to gray.
Update: (04/28/2007) blue wood lice dear
folks
in regard to the blue woodlouse you posted: it is infected
with an iridovirus. here is a link to a page with more woodlouse
information-- http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/7649/woodlice/wliceod.htm
although these little blue guys are pretty--the first time
i saw one, i thought it was a lapis bead and tried to pick
it up; boy was i surprised when it uncurled!--they are, unfortunately,
on their way to being compost. thanks for all your good bug
work!
patty
Hi Patty,
Thank you so much for a most awesome update, correction and
link to information.
Marine Isopods
(08/20/2006) bug
Thank you for your wonderful and informative site. I have
to say upfront, I'm not a bug lover, but I find myself fascinated
by your site because I can at least identify the small creatures
that freak me out! Anyway, I digress... we live in Maryland,
directly on the Chesapeake Bay. At the shore front we have
a large stone rip-rap that protects the shoreline from erosion.
Every morning and late afternoon, these large rocks and the
adjacent pier, are covered in bugs. They are so fast and scatter
when we approach! There are hundreds of them and they will
swarm on the rocks and are not dislodged by the breaking waves.
My children think they look like 'Plankton' from Spongebob,
although they are different in color! Anyway, here are some
pics! Thank you again for all the information you provide.
GKS - bugged in Maryland!
Dear Bugged,
These are Marine Isopods, a type of Crustacean. They are closely
related to Sow Bugs or Rollie Pollies that are found in damp
spots in terrestrial gardens.
Sow Bugs
(04/24/2006) Please help identify these home invaders
Hello!
I have browsed through the common millipedes/centipedes and
pantry beetles as suggested and haven't quite been able to
identify the insect invading my home. I believe it may be
a centipede. These bugs first appeared en mass (about 40 found
in half an hour) in my Toronto home at the end of March. They
are very slow and ball up in their hard shells when approached.
I do not believe them to be pantry beetles as I do not find
them in my kitchen. They seem to be coming in from under the
spare room (where there is no basement)where it attaches to
the main house. I have hopefully filled the cracks now but
would really like to know what these are so I can better prepare
to defend my home. I apologize in advance that the 3rd picture
is a bit blurry. Thank you,
Karen
Hi Karen,
These are not insects but Crustaceans. They are Terrestrial
Isopods commonly known as Pill Bugs or Sow Bugs. Children
sometimes call them Rollie-Pollies. They are more of a nuisance
than a problem.
Mystery Isopod
(03/20/2006) what is this?
dear bugmen,
enclosed you will find a strange animal i've noticed in lithuania
last year in a window of a kavine baras, a bar in vilnius.
it must be a kind of mixture between a woodlouse and a cancer
and it was 18 cm long! it was taking a sunbath using a feeler
to hold itself on the wall. don't know was it alive or not...
do you know what it is???greetings from berlin
mona
Hi Mona,
We are researching your fascinating creature. It looks like
a marine isopod to us, and we suspect it was placed in the
window of the bar, dead, as a conversation piece.
Update: (02/14/2008) Mystery isopod answer
Hello.
I was having a look at your sow bug area and I saw the photo
of "Mystery isopod ( 20/03/2006 ). It is a marine isopod called
Saduria
sabini.
Alberto Delrio
Thanks Alberto,
We love getting old mysteries solved.
Sow Bugs
(03/17/2006) My Fiancé hates these things
We’ve had these crawling around our basement here in
Bloomington MN for the last few weeks. Any idea what they
are and how to get rid of them?
Thanks, Chris
Hi Chris,
These are Sow Bugs, terrestrial Isopods. They proliferate
in dark, damp areas.
Australian Isopod: Slater
(02/16/2006) what bug is this?
Hi Bugman,
I was wondering if you know the name of this bug. I found
it last week near a river in sydney. From what i remember
the bug is about 3-4cm long. Thank you in advance.
Cheers,
Phylis
Hi Phylis,
This is some type of Isopod. We found a photo
of a marine specimen from Australia that looks very similar.
A common name is Australis is Slater.
Lawn
Shrimp
(12/21/2005) Little shrimp-like bugs
Sometimes I find a bunch of these little guys dead on the
floor of our downstairs bathroom during ant season, the little
corpses sometimes attract ants. What is it?
Geoff Waters
Glendale, CA
Hi Geoff,
This is a Lawn Shrimp or House Hopper, Talitroides sylvaticus,
a terrestrial crustacean. They become most evident just after
rain when they are found dead inside homes. They are not a
problem, just a nuisance.
Pill
Bug
(12/17/2005) What's This Bug?
Hi, my girlfriend found this bug dead in our kitchen floor.
Can you tell me what it is?
Thanks
This is a terrestrial arthropod known as a Pill Bug or
Sow Bug. Children call them Rollie-Pollies because they roll
into a ball..
Marian's Tumblebug
(07/10/2005) Pillbug
Hi,
We also call this a tumblebug, or a doodlebug. I'd never realized
what cute little faces they have until I took these photos.
Love, Marian
Thanks for the image Marian.
Lawn Shrimp
(06/14/2005) Yard Shrimp
Thanks to your site, I have found that the bug that has been
infesting a specific area of my utility room are lawn shrimp.
And, as you said in the previous message, indeed we have been
having rain here in North Central Florida ( Ocala ).
They lay dead by the tens of dozens between my utility room
outside door and the cat’s feeding dish. However,
there is no sign of them in the food dish itself. I
can find no sign of them outside the house or anywhere else
in the house. There is no real concentrated pile of
them to suggest they have a specific spot where they are staying
in my house. I see no signs of them in daylight but
just an hour or two after sunset they suddenly appear with
many dead and a few dying. They indeed look like tiny
rusty colored shrimp. They move slow and appear more
black when alive than the rusty brown when dead. Dead or not,
it’s not a nice site first thing in the morning.
So, now that I have identified the pest thanks to your site,
how can I keep them out of my utility room or kill them outside
without making a toxic mess that my cat may get into?
Thanks,
Wesley J Burdine
Ocala , Florida
 
Hi Wesley,
Sorry we can't help you with any erradication advice, but
at least your problem now has a name and you can contact local
experts. We couldn't decide if we liked your backlit picture
better than the flash photo, so we posted them both.
I actually found a friendly deterrent to the Lawn Shrimp. While
trying to find the least toxic method to control them because
of concern mostly for my cat, I first tried the powder that
you sprinkle on your carpet to get rid of fleas. I sprinkled
some around the doorway and also just off the edge of the
concrete walkway. This has deterred the Lawn Shrimp without
killing them in the yard.
Thanks much,
Wesley J Burdine
Lawn
Shrimp or House Hopper
(01/09/2005) What is this bug
Hi,
Recently, I found 5 - 10 bugs on the carpet of my family and
living rooms each day . They are dead and dried out.
I live in southern California. Can you tell me what bug it
is?
Many thanks.
Eric
Hi Eric,
You have a type of terrestrial amphipod known commonly as
a Lawn Shrimp or House Hopper. According to Hogue: "During
or just after a rain, residents in various parts of Los Angeles
County are sometimes startled to find a number of these amphipods
in their houses. The creatures are usually dead when found
and are a nuisance merely by their presence. It is likely
that the House Hoppers seek the dryness of buildings when
their natural habitats become flooded."
Isopods
(01/02/2005)
hey can u please tell me wat bug is this , I found it in my
bathroom and I've seen a lot of them lately that’s why
I'm bothering to learn more about them because I'm curious.
And I have three dogs so I don’t know if the bug might
be hurtful. I hope you can recognize it from my pictures it
was hard to get a good picture because they are so small.
And I took the pictures with my camera phone. If not I hope
this description helps as well. Well, its about an inch long
has 6 pairs on legs . grayish and antenna as well. and two
little things like in the rear don’t know how to explain
it. hope you can figure out what it is , because I don’t
thing it’s a centipede. Anyways, thank you.
oh PS. I live in NJ.
Diana
 
Hi Diana,
Your have terrestrial isopods commonly known as Pill Bugs,
Sow Bugs or Rollie-Pollies. They can get very numerous and
can become a nuisance, but they are basically benign. They
sometimes secrete an obnoxious odor. They will not harm your
pets.
Sowbug
(11/14/2004) whats my bug
I have this bug in my house and I see the out side as well.
They are usually under rocks and plant pots or in the hidden
places like under a couch or chair. They have 6 legs
on either side, 2 little hair-like spikes on it's hind end,
and anouther 2 anntenas on it's head. They are always
a grayish colour. These two pictures are the largist
I have ever seen (aprox.1cm).
 
You have a terrestrial isopod commonly called a Pillbug,
Sowbug or Rollie-Pollie. They are relatively benign, though
they can get very numerous.
Lawn Shrimp
(11/10/2004) Help please
Hello,
After the last hard rain 10 days ago, these bugs have been
coming out every night, they look black, are about 1/4 inch
long and jump around from out of the grass onto my porch. They
seem to be attracted to light, because each morning I find
hundreds of their little dead copper colored bodies all over
my front and back porch. In the 2 years I've lived here, I've
never seen them before. What are they?
Thanks very much from San Dimas, CA
Janet Boydell
Hi Janet,
You are being plagued by Lawn Shrimp, a colorful name for
a type of terrestrial Amphipod. Terrestrial amphipods live
on the surface (top 1/2 inch) of mulch and moist ground. After
rains, large numbers of amphipods can migrate into garages
or under the doors of houses. There they soon die their color
changing from brown, green or black to red upon death. They
migrate out of rain-soaked soil to drier areas where they
usually end up dying. Most species are active at night. Here
is a site
with additional information.
Thank you very much!
Hi and thanks so much for getting back to me. By the way,
your website is wonderful...my son thinks it's so cool that
you posted our question and then answered us. Very helpful
and useful! I'll pass it on.
Best to you,
Janet
What's in a Name?
(11/11 2004) Pill bugs
I was looking at your site and noticed the bit about Rolly
Pollys. Growing up in New Orleans, we always called
them Doodle Bugs. I have since moved to Birmingham,
AL and they call them Rolly Pollys. Just thought you
might like to have that for your knowledge base.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin,
We have always associated the common name Doodle Bug with
the Ant Lion Larvae.
Isopod
(08/11/2004) Bug with weird markings
It looks like pillbug or a sow bug, but what's with the markings?
It is indeed an Isopod, one of the Sow Bugs, but I am
unsure about the markings. Looks to be almost phosphorescent.
Myriapod
(07/07/2004
I live in southcentral Kentucky and have found these occasionally
when planting something. Recently, I have found lots of dead
ones at the bottom of the pool. Can you tell me what
they are? I have attached a couple of pictures. Thanks.
 
We just got the following correction from Joe:
(06/23/2005) Isopod or myriapod?
Great website! The last time I was looking at a photo one
of your readers sent ( More Isopods(07/07/2004) and you identified
it as a type of terrestrial isopod. However, as far as I
know all isopods (superclass Crustacea) have only 7 pairs
of legs. The photo shows an arthropod with two pairs of legs
per body segment and at least 13 body segments, besides the
head and abdomen. I am inclined to believe this is of the
superclass Myriapoda, not Crustacea; specifically Class Diploda,
Super Order Pentazonia. I am unsure of the order (could be
Glomerida or Sphaeriotheriida (both commonly known to roll
up in a ball), otherwise known as pill millipedes. I certainly
don't consider myself an expert, so perhaps you can clarify?
Thank you, Joe
(06/08/2004)
Another Isopod
Hello...nice and informative website. I
had a bug in my bath tub this morning that I was trying
to identify. It looks similar to another photo
that someone took and you said there bug was a Crustacean. Is
the bug I found the same thing?
Thanks,
Ryan
Yes,
Ryan,
You have an isopod.
(06/03/2004)
Fast Isopod
Hey Bugman,
I found this bug in the house this morning. I live in Boise
Idaho and I have never seen one of these before. It looks
like a "Rolly-Polly", but was MUCH faster, and did
not curl up into a tight ball. This is the only one I found.
I tried to look it up on the internet and also in the National
Audubon Society Field Guide with no luck. Can you help me
out???
Thanks,
Ryan J
Boise ID.
 
Hi Ryan,
You are correct. It is a type of Isopod, a Crustacean, and
is related to the common Pill Bugs you know as Rolly-Pollies.
They generally do not do any damage unless they are very
plentiful.
(03/02/2004)
Rollie Pollies
Dear Bugman,
What is the scientific name for rollie pollies and what do
they eat? Are the on the website?
Thanks. Mom Adams
Dear Mom Adams,
We just got a question about Pill Bugs or Sow Bugs, which
are Isopods, not true insects. The common Pill Bug goes by
the scientific name Armadillidium vulgare. They are omniverous
and eat young and decaying plant material. We had not heard
of the common name Rollie Pollie until our student Betina
mentioned it. Thank you for reaffirming that local term.
(02/11/2004)
I live in the Northeast and I having a problem with these
black bugs in my basement. I always thought they were called
potato bugs but when I looked for a picture of potato bugs
on the net, I realized that the bugs in my basement are something
else. I would like to know what they are called. The are black.
They have a shell-like back. They roll into a perfect ball
when they are touched. They don't bite. I use to play with
them as a child. I have not seen them in the winter months.
However, somehow, they find there way in my home when the
weather breaks. Do you know if they have a name?
Dear Connie,
It sounds like you are describing Sow Bugs or Pill Bugs.
These are not insects but Isopods, a group of Crustaceans.
They are often numerous in damp places including basements
and gardens. They are called Pill Bugs because of their
habit of rolling into a ball. The Common Pill Bug, Armadillidium
vulgare, is dark in color, often approaching black. They
are omniverous, and feed on young and decaying plant material.
Unless very numerous, they do not make significant damage.
They have few predators because of a distasteful secretion,
but a spider, the Sow Bug Killer, is a natural enemy. Here
is a photo we just took in our garden.
Dear WTB,
I encountered a different looking bug this morning, and have
been trying to search the net for pictures, but have been
unsuccessful, and was hoping you could help. The body of the
spider was an oval-oblong shape and beige, or tan in
color, and the head was small and red and the legs appeared
to be coming out in between the head and body and they were
also red in color. I thought it a little strange that the
legs were not spread out along the body. I live in the Denver
Co. area, if that helps. Any photos would be great too.
Thanks
K
Dear K,
That is the second letter today with the same spider. The
other was from the UK. You saw a Sow Bug Killer,
Dysdera crocota. They are one of the few predators
that will eat sow bugs which have an unleasant taste. They
sometimes bite people, but the bite is not serious. They
are beneficial.
Thank
you for your reply. Would you happen to have a photo of
the sow bug
killer? I have tried looking for one, but cannot find one.
Thank You
K
Hi K,
I've enclosed the photo. Let us know if that was your spider.
Daniel,
Sorry for the delay.
That is the spider.
Thanks for your help.
Help!
I have just found your website which I hope will be my saviour.
I have a wee problem here in my flat in Edinburgh. This "problem"
is a brown creepy crawly thing which seems to like catfood.
Whenever I put the catfood back down on the floor for the
cats these things seem to put in an appearance. They seem
to be more nocturnal, appearing after dark, so that I find
them only when I go into the kitchen at night - and there
they are hoovering up the cat food that the messy little eaters
have spilt on the floor (cats have no table manners!). There
are loads of them and despite me cleaning the floor with bleach
several times a week, they reappear with annoying regularity.
They are brown on top and whitish
underneathand appear to be ridged making them look a bit maggoty.
They have legs and can be various sizes - up to 2cm long.
What are these things and more importantly how do I get rid
of them. They must be "nesting" under the floorboards
as there is nowhere else they can be coming from. I have tried
moving the cats food to other parts of the kitchen but they
always seem to find it. URGH!!! I am at my wits end and would
like to get rid of these things before the poor cats go mad
trying to work out where I have decided to put their food
this time. I don't think they enjoy this game very much! Your
help and advice on how to eradicate these pests from my home
PERMANENTLY would be hugely appreciated.
—Lesley
Dear Lesley,
From the time mankind has lived in
caves, we have been annoyed by household pests. In his
usual charming manner, Hogue writes in his chapter on household
pests: "Unwelcome guests within our homes, stealing
our food and wrecking our possessions, and sometimes repaying
us with bites and stings--these are the insect pests. ...
A need for shelter, food, or a nesting place, attraction
to lights, or perhaps the enticement of shade and food odors--and
not a conscious desire to bother us--bring these guests to
our door. In spite of screening, entry is easy for most
insects: their small size permits them to squeeze through
small cracks in the flooring, around baseboards, and under
doors and through other imperfections in construction."
With that said Lesley,
no matter what you do, you will have household intruders.
Regarding the identification of your brown creepy crawly
thing, I suspect pill bugs or sow bugs. They are not
true insects, but rather members of the order Isopoda and
the subphylum Crustacea. Pill bugs are so called because
of their habit of rolling into a little ball. Sow bugs
are generally larger and cannot roll themselves up into a
ball. Sow bug can grow as large as 15mm. They
are nocturnal, omniverous and can be very numerous, sometimes
experiencing population explosions. They are generally
found outdoors in the garden, but they will take refuge inside
the home, especially when it is dry. I would guess that
you feed your cats near a water source, and a leaking pipe
with the resulting rotting wood, could well be the reason
the ispods have taken up quarters in your flat. Because of
their distasteful secretions, these isopods are eaten by few
predators. A notable exception is the sow bug killer,
a dysderid spider, Dysdera crocota. |
