Fast woodlouse - Philoscia muscorum - Family: Philosciidae

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Fast woodlouse - Philoscia muscorum
© Roger Key/English Nature

The fast woodlouse has a shiny, mottled and greyish brown body and rather more conspicuous eyes than other woodlice found in gardens. Unlike the pill woodlouse, this species does not roll up into a ball when disturbed but is able to run very quickly. It lives at grass roots, in moss, or anywhere that provides moist cover, and is not uncommon in the compost heap once heat production has ceased. It is widespread and common.

Woodlice are not everyone's favourite animals but they perform a useful function in gardens by feeding on decaying matter and so accelerating the rate at which minerals are returned to the soil. They provide food for shrews, the common toad, some ground beetles and spiders and also for centipedes.

Food

Detritus feeder on almost any decaying plant matter.

Predators

Banded centipede, Common centipede, Common frog, Common shrew, Common toad, Great crested newt, Spiders and harvestmen, Woodlice/Millipedes/Centipedes