Sow Bug

The sow bug, also known to many children as the "rolly polly" bug, and to others as a woodlouse, is a crustacean with a rigid, segmented, long exoskeleton with fourteen jointed limbs. This exoskeleton is something that the sow bug must actually shed as it grows.

This sow bug was captured with the National Optical 420AH trinocular stereo zoom microscope, using a consumer digital camera adapter.

The sow bug is not typically considered a household pest, as they do not spread diseases and do not harm wood structures like termites do. However, sow bug presence can often indicate dampness issues in a household.