Roly Poly/Pill Bug (Armadillidiidae) By: AE

Where Do I Live? Habitat Range Most regions of the world Roly polys live in grasslands, under rocks, forests, and rainforests. The depend on moisture to survive. Most regions of the world

Diet They eat plants and fungi. The are omnivores and eat decaying animals.

Roly polys start out as eggs in the brood pouch in the mother’s body. Both parents are active. The male guards the brood. The offspring almost looks like an adult, but smaller. Then the pill bug sheds its exoskeleton around four or five times. Life cycle

What do I look like? They have two antennae and a shell. They also have one eye on each side of their head. They have a thorax, head, and an abdomen. They have seven pairs of jointed legs. They are not an insect.

Interesting Facts Rolypoly bugs are known by a variety of names including pill bug, sow bug, and potato bug. They can live for up to two – five years. They are not insects, but are isopods or crustaceans. The mothers carry their babies in a pouch. They roll up into a ball because the they get scared. The reason people call it an isopod is because it can roll up into a tight ball. They are related to a lobster.