27 April 2012

Armadillidium ("pill bugs") are not insects


They are woodlice, which are arthropods (crustaceans), but not insects.  The number of legs should be a giveaway in making that distinction, but I'll admit I must have made this mistake on many occasions.  Discussed at Reddit.

I didn't find an explanation of the etymology of "armadillidium."  It should be interesting (related to armadillo?).

10 comments:

  1. Martin Liebermann / zeitspurenApril 27, 2012 at 10:38 AM

    I can only guess the etymology - but to me it sounds related to spanish "armadillo" - the similarity with this animal is also visible. "Armado" in Spanish means "armor cased".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Martin Liebermann / zeitspurenApril 27, 2012 at 10:59 AM

      Wikipedia says "The word armadillo in Spanish means "little armored one"."

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillo

      http://www.antlionpit.com/faq.html explains:

      "These last two names are used to describe only woodlice of the genus Armadillidium, so named because of their ability to roll up into a tight ball, just as an armadillo does when attacked."

      Delete
    2. MinnesotastanApril 27, 2012 at 11:49 AM

      Well, that certainly makes sense. Thank you, Martin, for looking it up; I'm in a real hurry this morning.

      Delete
  2. andrewApril 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM

    Those little weenies are also garden pests that burrow beneath the surface and eat your starts. Next time your new growth fails to break the surface, seemingly shrivel for no reason, or your entire plant falls over at the base of the stalk, find a duck or two to rid you of their favorite treat! Apparently pill bugs don't enjoy beets and garlic so it's recommended to scatter those around too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. jaundicediApril 27, 2012 at 6:04 PM

    These always reminded me a bit of trilibites. I always rather liked them for that reason.

    ReplyDelete
  4. gbradleyApril 28, 2012 at 11:24 AM

    I liked to play with them as a kid,but now they are my nemesis.
    They eat my strawberries. I don't use poison in the garden, so I have to pick them out by hand. Snails and slugs are more of a problem though.
    Can't do the beer buried in a dish, because it turns out my dog likes beer. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. gbradleyApril 28, 2012 at 3:45 PM

    diatomaceous earth, we used to use that in our pool filter when I was a kid. I know it's the shells from Diatoms, but is it ok for the garden?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MinnesotastanApril 28, 2012 at 3:57 PM

      "Diatomite is used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency..."

      As far as I know it's safe; it's sold in garden centers. You would probably need to ask someone there (or read the label) re whether to put it on the strawberries.

      Delete
  6. nolanddaMay 15, 2012 at 4:59 PM

    Also of interest are the many and varied words for this creature. The dialect survey results are also interesting in their own right.

    ReplyDelete