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Wood louse vs. Asian multi-colored lady beetle

Armadillidium vulgare / Harmonia axyridis

Description:

More carnage on our front door step! I wasn't aware that wood louse were predators but this guy was certainly chowing down on the lady beetle.

Habitat:

Semi rural

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9 Comments

KarenL
KarenL 10 years ago

Thanks guys!
Nancy, yes, I think the ladybug was already deceased but I was still surprised as I thought that pill bugs were herbivores.

auntnance123
auntnance123 10 years ago

Roly-polys (woodlice) aren't predators but scavengers and largely herbivorous (http://a-z-animals.com/animals/woodlouse...).

ShannaB
ShannaB 10 years ago

Eek!

Braulio Rivas Tapia
Braulio Rivas Tapia 10 years ago

Oh :(
I never thought that two of my most favourite insects were into a duel!
Great capture!

Nimbid Ditavi
Nimbid Ditavi 10 years ago

Wow awesome action shot Karen!

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Thanks for the info jki & welcome to the community!

jki
jki 11 years ago

Actually, I can almost guarantee you that the beetle was already dead (probably having been stepped on), and the pillbug is instead scavenging from the corpse.
Woodlice aren't predatory in the least, but are scavengers of dead and dying plant matter, fungi, and dead animals, so this is almost certainly just a case of carrion feeding by this arthropod.

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Thanks Cindy!

Cool spotting, Karen!

KarenL
Spotted by
KarenL

Franklin, Tennessee, USA

Spotted on Mar 18, 2013
Submitted on Mar 20, 2013

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