Specieswatch: how woodlice are an early warning system for a damp problem

Woodlice are crustaceans, relatives of the shrimp, that have adapted to life on land - but they still prefer damp conditionsThe common rough woodlouse Porcellio scaber is one of the five most numerous of 35 species of woodlice that are native to Britain, although there are others that arrived with imported plants and live mostly in greenhouses. Woodlice are remarkable in that they are not insects but crustaceans with 14 legs and an outer shell - their closest relatives being shrimps and lobsters. While they have adapted to life on land, they still need damp conditions to thrive and, like their aquatic cousins, use gills to breathe. If they appear in houses and survive it means there is a damp problem. Related: Country diary: wiggling wonder of the common woodlouse Continue reading...