Common name
Status:
GB IUCN status: Least Concern
ID Difficulty
Identification
Our seven Armadillidium species and Eluma caelata (Family Armadillidiidae) are readily recognised in the field by their truncated 'square' uropods that end flush with the body and their ability to roll into a protective sphere (similar truncated uropods are also seen in the non-native Armadillidae species).
Armadillidium vulgare is the common large pill-woodlouse (to 18 mm body length). Although often uniform slate grey, it can be highly variable in colour and mottled forms are often seen. However, it lacks the diagnostic contrasting dark patch on the 7th epimera, and the well developed ornate mottling, characteristic of the uncommon A. pulchellum or A. pictum. See Gregory & Richards (2008) for details of the identification of these three species.
In south Wales and southern England it can be confused with A. depressum (which can be locally common in gardens, etc).
