5am on a pitch-black January morning is not the time to discover that you have no outside lighting. Low cloud obscured any light from the waning moon, resulting in a valley shrouded in a tar-like blackness. As soon as the sun had risen our investigation began. The culprits were soon tracked down......Woodlice!
These armadillo-like bugs are the only crustaceans to live inland. Their bodies, composed like a knight's armour, are a series of overlapping plates. They adore moisture because they breathe through their gills. Their ideal home is a dark,damp place with access to decaying plant matter and fresh root-stock. However, in their defence, they are not in the league of honeyfungus when it comes to root destruction. But, they do present their own challenges!
They have discovered their perfect pad this winter; in the base of our electric lanterns. Sadly for them, eviction from 'Lantern-Rock was our only option!
