Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 338

Pill bugs in the family Armadillidiidae can roll into a ball shape as a defense mechanism called conglobation, similar to armadillos and cuckoo wasps. They feed on decaying plant matter and can also consume living plants, dead bugs, and animal flesh. Pill bugs play a role in balancing carbon content in the soil by aiding in the retention of organic material. While they are beneficial detritivores in ecosystems, they can become pests in agricultural systems by eating crop residue, seedlings, and wood supports in houses. The family Armadillidiidae is characterized by its unique features like the two-segmented antennal flagellum and the ability to roll into a ball.