Continued
Woodlice are treated harshly by gardener and housewife alike and as soon as they appear they are squashed underfoot. In fact, in many areas it is considered to be unlucky to have a woodlouse in the house. They are in fact harmless creatures however, and certainly don't deserve to be slaughtered whenever they are found. They may occasionally nibble young seedlings, but they are generally more interested in dead leaves and decaying material and their presence in the garden is probably more beneficial than harmful. Those species that can roll up into a ball were once thought to have a medicinal value and were swallowed whole, alive, in attempts to cure digestive problems. They were also given to cattle and this is probably why they are called cud-worms in some areas. The practice has stopped now....I think anyway...! but we still refer to these animals as pill bugs.

Woodlice belong to the class of arthropods known as crustaceans, which is a predominantly aquatic group containing the crabs and lobsters. Although they now live on land the woodlice have not completely shaken off their aquatic habits. Their skins are not completely waterproof, and the animals very soon desiccate in a dry environment.

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