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Pill Bug Research Paper

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Pill Bug Life History and Behavior Paper Pill Bugs are an interesting creature you will usually find under rocks, boards, and/or decaying vegetation. They are classified as terrestrial Isopods; they are classified as Crustaceans which are a smaller group of Arthropoda. Pill Bugs are usually called sowbugs or woodlice. These creatures can live from 2 to 3 years. Pill Bugs are usually found under rocks, boards, and decaying vegetation. They like cool dark places with a humid damp temperature. Although most species live in this environment, some like the Trachelipus rathkei live under fallen wood or peeling bark. Unlike others the Porcellio spinicornis will usually be found around limestone or cement. They hide in these places during day and eat at night. …show more content…

Their natural lifespan consists of 2 to 3 years. During that time they will mature after a year. They usually reproduce from May to September. The females can take up to a couple of days for the pill bug to hatch then they will stay in the mothers pouch, marsupium, for a couple of hours feeding off of them. There are over 4000 known species in the world. Only 12 species are found in North and Central America and several in the Florida wet lands. The only known species of rolling up into a ball is the Cylisticus convexus. These are a common one fount throughout North America. They can be up to 8-12 mm in length as an adult. The most common one is the Trachelipus rathkei, growing from 10-15 mm, which rolls up in to a “C” when disturbed or threatened. They use this mechanism as a defense. Pill bugs are significant for their decomposition such as earthworms and snails. They are also capable of eating copper, zinc, lead, and cadmium. These creatures are also not a bug since they are part of the Crustaceans meaning which are related to shrimp, crabs, and lobster. These all have a hard shell and have multiple legs on each

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