pill woodlouse uncurling

the pill woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare) is an amazing piece of engineering. related to crabs and lobsters rather than insects, this woodlouse is commonly found in damp places in gardens and buildings. it is known as a pill woodlouse due to the fact that it rolls itself into a ball when threatened. I wanted to try and capture this behaviour which I have done with this sequence.

when curled up there are no vulnerable spots where a predator could attack, and it is only when the woodlouse starts to uncurl itself that you can see the perfectly shaped slots across its “tummy” where the legs fit into.

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