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Woodlice lovers' society

josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,532
in Wildlife gardening
We have a Snail Lovers' Society; is anyone else as fond as I am of woodlice?  They are so humble, they live in damp dark places that no-one else wants to inhabit, and mostly feed on dead stuff that needs clearing away.  There are 247 woodlice in my garden, and I know all their names.
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Posts

  • Buzzy2Buzzy2 Posts: 130
    I Love them, they live in little families.
  • B3B3 Posts: 19,414
    I wouldn't say I love them, but I never harm them.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 41,350
    I'm quite fond of them too. Loads of them here. 
    I've never been tempted to count them though....it could take a while  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 1,531
    Another one who is quite fond of them. Think they hibernated during the cold weather but they are out and about now. I have always referred to them as Parson's Pigs stemming from childhood days. Wouldn't have known what woodlice were then. 
  • herbaceousherbaceous E. BerksPosts: 2,257
    They were Monkey Peas when I was a child Fran and have always fascinated me.  I have a vague recollection of someone being incredibly upset as they thought they had destroyed an armadillo nest.

    My grandson loves them but tries to give them green leaves despite many explanations, but then he is only 3  :)
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 6,743


    A great library has something in it to offend everybody.
  • wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 6,743
    I think anyone who doesn't like woodlice is probably a serial killer. o:)  In my garden so far I have found:
    The common rough woodlouse. So called because of its rough scales
    The common shiny woodlouse. So called for obvious reasons.
    and the pill woodlouse.
    I'm looking out for the common striped woodlouse. It's bound to be there but there's bloody millions of the things to pick through to find one.
    A great library has something in it to offend everybody.
  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 1,531
    @wild edges You got in there before me as I was just about to post when I had engineer to service boiler arrive followed by family. I had googled woodlice and apparently Parson's pig is specific to the IOM and Monkey Peas to Kent @herbaceous ? 
    There are over 30 odd different names covering UK and different countries. Didn't realise there were different species so I shall be a little more observant from now on.  :)
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 3,731
    Been arguing as to the valuable contribution these humble creatures make to horticulture for years.
    Anyone ever seen the huge ones on the sea wall at Blue Anchor in Somerset?
  • herbaceousherbaceous E. BerksPosts: 2,257
    Fran IOM said:
     I had googled woodlice and apparently Parson's pig is specific to the IOM and Monkey Peas to Kent @herbaceous ? 

    Makes sense @Fran IOM as my Dad was a Kentish man, my Mum just used to make a face and walk away!  If she had bothered she would have known them as 'dampers' but I'm not sure she would have seen many in a back to back  :D 
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
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