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Visit to the largest Japanese garden in Europe: Sabine Rusch reveals the secret of garden art
by Darina Schweizer
Give the woodlouse a chance – it’s weirdly wonderful
14.6.2025
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Repulsed by woodlice? Admittedly, they may be a bit gross at first glance. But once you’ve heard these five facts about the little critters, you’re bound to see them in a different light.
When things crawl, creep or fly, I’m the first to leg it. The unpredictable trajectories, that icky goo on the wall when I’ve crushed them with a flip flop – everything about insects makes my flesh crawl. And yet, every once in a while there’s the odd funky species with an exciting lifestyle. But enough about insects, time to talk woodlice!
1. The terrestrial cousin of the crab
They might give off that vibe, but woodlice (Porcellio scaber) aren’t insects at all. Instead, roly-polies, which is just one of their many endearing nick names, belong to the class of higher crustaceans (Malacostraca). They’re the only land-living crustaceans that can reproduce outside the water.
2. Woodlice breathe through gills
Dolphins and whales live underwater and come to the surface to fill their lungs with oxygen. Woodlice do it the other way around. They live on land and absorb oxygen via gill-like organs located on the last of their seven pairs of legs. This makes them dependent on humid habitats and is the reason why they like to hide in dark and damp places. Think cellars, under stones or in the garden.
I think the woodlouse is wonderful proof that fascinating, extraterrestrial-looking creatures exist all around us. Usually, we barely notice or are repulsed by them even though we know nothing about their lives. And yet they make a huge contribution to preserving our world.
My colleague Katja Fischer wrote a piece about an animal that makes our everyday lives harder, but remains fascinating all the same.
Header image: shutterstock.com
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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