Sowbug

About the Sowbug

Often confused with pill bugs but they cannot roll into a ball. They are terrestrial crustaceans with gills that must stay moist. They have 7 pairs of legs. They are beneficial decomposers in gardens. They are related to crabs and shrimp. They have blue blood from hemocyanin. They molt in two stages - first the back half, then the front. They can live 2-3 years. They are harmless to humans and plants. They prefer dark, damp places. Over 5,000 terrestrial isopod species exist worldwide. They are excellent indicators of soil health.