Identify Yourself, Cool Facts About Woodlice
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- Опубліковано 26 жов 2024
- This video is part of a miniseries on "Cool Facts about Unusual Plants and Animals." In this episode, a woodlouse narrates the movie. Enjoy.
Hey man, I'm a crustacean, you may know my cousins: shrimp, lobster and crab. They live in the water, while I live on land.
I hatched from an egg and stayed in a special pouch, called a marsupium, with my mother, before becoming large enough to explore the world on my own.
Like my marine cousins, I use gill-like structures to exchange gasses. I require moist environments to breathe, but cannot survive being submerged in water.
Unlike most animals, I don't need to urinate and excrete urea. I have an amazing ability to tolerate ammonia gas, which passes directly though my exoskeleton, rather than being turned into urine.
I can also drink with my anus. Although I can drink the old-fashioned way, with my mouthparts, I can also take in water through my rear end.
I also eat my own poop. I mostly eat decaying plant material, but munch on lots of feces too. Each time I poop, I lose a little copper, and this is an essential element I need to live. In order to recycle this precious resource, I consume my own poop. Not a big deal!
I have high tolerance for areas with heavy metal contamination and take in metals such as copper, zinc, lead and cadmium and crystallize these out as spherical deposits, removing toxic metal ions from the soil.
If predators attack, I roll into a ball, effectively becoming an inpenetratable tank (Armadillidium spp.). Or if the predators are particularly nasty and bad to me, I will exude a thick glue from my rear end. And this will entangle ground beetles, centipedes and spiders.
I don't worry too much about my own sex. You know, I was born a male. But if i get infected by certain bacteria (Wolbachia spp.), I may change into a female in adulthood and I'll give birth to eggs that will eventually also become female. These bacteria change my hormone levels. And so it's, it's no big deal, being a male or female.
But, I DO worry about another parasite that I can get. I have to be really careful when I'm eating poop from birds. Song birds. They carry a parasitic worm that will cause me to become become a day-active zombie. And if I am a day-active zombie, I will be out during the day, rather than hiding. And I will be more likely eaten by birds.
There is one thing that I need to be careful of. I need to beware of people who like to eat me and my aquatic cousins. They sometimes call me Land Shrimp! Ouhhh, that makes me shudder....
For additional information see: www3.northern.e..., dailyparasite.b..., insects.about.c..., www.eattheweeds..., insects.tamu.e..., www-personal.um..., scienceblogs.co...
Videography by Ken Kramm, July 2013; Canon Vixia HF G10, Final Cut Pro X. Identify (walki talkie vox) by Speck, licensed under a CC Atribution 3.0 ccmixter.org/fi..., Darkness Speaks by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under a CC Attribution 3.0, incompetech.com..., Paper-rip, SoundJay.com free sound effects.
Adults who want to feel the child-like wonder and awe of learning new things about nature . Most kids are exteremenly interested in nature, observing everything with excitment, experiencing an adventure with every rock they look at. Kids have great great immaginatiosn. For the most part, adults lose tthese qualities. Hopefully, my videos rekindle the child-like spirit in all of us; imagination, knowledge and laughter help people solve real-world problems.
I always called these potatoe bugs and never knew there real name...Good job Ken...Enjoyed the video very much...How did they taste? I see lots of these bugs around here when I move a log or board and it's damp under it...You ever come back to Upper Michigan to visit I have a room for you...Would be cool to hang out and teach each other a few things...
Thanks. I plan to film an "1800s survival vid" on Jul 22 at Paluka Point on Lake Conroe. It will include a review of food preservation methods prior to refrigation and demonste some of these over a campfire. You will learn importance condensed milk as a field ration during the American Civil War. If the weather cooperates, you will see the full moonrise, go for a night swim and night hike.. As ususal, the video will include extensive references. ATB ...ken
Heith, they have many "common" names....potatoe bugs is one. They tasted like shrimg...with shells. A little cruncy....Eat them only from locations that are environmentally clean ... no pesticides, heavy metals, etc. Maybe someday we could meet in Upper Michigan..... would be fun...
Found your video and I am very pleased with how Funny it was!. Nice writing and story telling!!
Thanks. This was a fun video to make!
great job
Great video, my eight year old catches these things daily and when he saw this video playing on my computer he came running to watch the show. We both learned a lot about these yard shrimp and really enjoyed the show. Again great video!
I understasnd. I thought about eating them for several years .... but only "worked up" the courage when doing it on camera .... ATB ....
Thanks. It's fun to research a topic and put the story together. I've been thinking about and researching woodlice for three years or so .... but maybe if I consider how much time I've spent watchning them as kid... the answer is forever. Take care, my friend ....
Thanks Ryan. If you decide to eat them, make sure to collect from areas with no pesticides and no environmental contamintaion..... They really do taste good.... although a little crunchy.... ATB, my friend.
I think i just learnt everything i wanted to know for the past few days about these Little guys. Thank you.!! liked.
You're welcome, Khristian. Have a good weekend, Ken
Thanks JC. It was a lot of fun to make the video and pretend.... Hope everything is going well with you. Enjoy the outdoors and continue doing innovative things .... I lean a great deal from your vids ..... ATB, ken
They are sure tasty. My majore recommendation is to not eat them from areas with pesticides or environmental contamination. ATB ken
I learned some things! Thanks for posting.
Do we have to put everything that lives in our mouths ?
Thanks, my friend. As you say, they make good pets that are fun to observe. Have a good weekend. Ken.
Hi Geze,
In the 1860s they were called "land shrimp" and their are many recipes by the Europeans who ate them. They are not native to the Americas....but rather came along with soil... Now they are everywhere.
Have a good week, bro.
Greetings,
Ken
Wow the name really affects my atttude towards them Woodlice sounds really dirty n nasty. I m surprised u eat them unpeeled shell n all. Too creepy for me. N I dislike them in my garden. Sorry I dun want abundant life in my garden, there’s a limit what I accept. I hope to get rid of them
OMG, who would of thought of doing a video on woodlice.......you are a genius, and a man ahead of your time. I may not sleep tonight! Thank you!
Ken U made my day! Delightful, amusing informative and I can't believe you ate them! I must admit I have eaten sauteed meal worms. Tasted like chips, salty can crispy.Thanks for a great little vid! I see those critters all the time in my garden, but never thought of eating them
Awesome vid! You put a lot of effort into your vids. We sure enjoy them! Now I cant wait to find some lice to munch on! :)
As a boy these little guys were everywhere in my hometown in Washington state, but since having moved to Southern California for college, most of my current friends think only of a Jerusalem Beetle when they hear the words "potato bug". Thank you for restoring my wonderment with nature and my connection to a long-missed childhood friend :)
***** Little animals / insects /invertebrates are interesting and are always "on a mission." It's fascinating to learn about how they survive .... and in the process we human beings may learn things that are useful to us. ATB., Ken
That was so cool ken. I have an abundance supply of those in the field behind the shop. they mostly live under the rocks back there . one day I'd still like to try to eat some. Two thumbs up ken thanks for sharing.
Thanks John. Much appreciated!
Thanks Tito. It's a blast to make videos like this one. I've been planning it for more than 3 years .... and finally got all the information together.... ABT, my friend. Regards, Ken
its a rollipolli
TomatoOtters Yep!
I had no idea!!! Another brilliant creation!
Now I will show them more respect.
I always look forward to seeing your vids. I always seem to learn something new
So cool. Look forward to seeing him in one of your videos!
Enjoy the heat, Sandy. It's cooled down a little, due to rain for a couple of days.... but may be hot by UK standards.
Going on a daycamp tomorrow!
Peace,
Ken
Good work Ken, loads of great facts there!
Cool, my kids loved this one, had to watch it twice!!
Hi Ken, fantastique facts!
Sorry but at first I thought You do something like a new documentary about the stone louse (Petrophaga lorioti) before I got it that it is serious ;-)))
Thanks and rgds, Robert
That's good info to know Ken. I've never thought about eating them tho :-} Thanks for sharing this and Take Care my friend :-))
Awesome vid.........I'm one of ur subs...........I love ur survival vids can u make more of those
Go for it Bob! May be you' can put a video about it on your Facebook page.... or maybe We can eat them when camping this fall! Cheers, Ken
Thanks Les. Bear laughed so much... he couldn't keep a straight face, since bears don't eat poop!
Great woodlice documentary Ken! So the ones that run around during the day and enter my labs are all songbird poop eaters? You made me think of that dead toad I kicked as a kid that had woodlice pouring out of its abdomen, and the praying mantis I captured that was terrified of these animals again...
I guess someone might try to use them to filter out metals from the dirt and refine them? Haha
Pillbugs are a great food source in survival situations, insects generally are...
Thanks. I still smile every time I watch it!
That got really intense with the zombie bit, haha.
Never knew those little guys were crustaceans, very informative and presented in an easy to digest manner.
I'm smiling….
You're welcome. It took me three years after learning they were edible to "work up" the courage to taste them....
I really like the approach of this video Ken. Very informative. I'm on the fence about trying some for dinner. I wonder if wood lice could clean up a heavy metal toxic site?
Thanks Rex. It was fun to pretend being a woodlice. Whenever I see wildlife, the types of thoughts (that i said in this vid) often run thru my head. It was fun to do the research. Yes, research is being conducted on potential use of woodlice to clean up toxic sites.
You may be interested in seeing my vid about walking sticks. Cool Facts About Stick Insects, a weird moovie It uses a similar approach. But the walking stick narrative is from creative commons music that I found. So cool. I want to do more vids like this …. assistance from folks with creative musical talent would help…. uummm By chance would you have interest… if I provided the narrative?
All The Best,
Ken
Again,thanks for the informative videos.
Great one, Ken! Very interesting. God bless. John
wow cool. I never knew those were edible. We had them everywhere when I was growing up, we called them sow bugs. Thanks for the upload
As always,Great vid & Info.
Thanks Randy!
They are amazing creatures, Melvin. Thanks for watching and commenting, my friend.... ken
Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
Glad you like this twist on a usual documentary>
Lumbricus rubellus is a species of earthworm that is related to Lumbricus terrestris. It is usually reddish brown or reddish violet, iridescent dorsally, and pale yellow ventrally. They are usually about 25 millimetres (0.98 in) to 105 millimetres (4.1 in) in length, with around 95-120 segments. Their native distribution was mainland Europe and the British Isles, but they have currently spread worldwide in suitable habitats.[1]
Size and appearance
Lumbricus rubellus, or the "red earthworm", ranges from 25 millimetres (0.98 in) to 105 millimetres (4.1 in) in length and has smooth, reddish, semi-transparent, flexible skin segmented into circular sections. Each segment contains four pairs of setae, or bristles, and the total number of segments per matured organism ranges from 95-105.[2] The segmentation of Lumbricus rubellus identifies the organism as a member of Phylum Annelida, while the enlarged segments towards the anterior of the organism called the clitellum denotes membership to Class Clitellata. Members of this class are also defined by having permanent gonads.
The clitellum of L. rubellus reaches from segments 26 to 32
Habitat
Lumbricus rubellus naturally lives in soils high in organic matter, preferably dung and feces.[2] The worms require loose soil to burrow in and soil moist enough for gas exchange.[3] Further requirements include such abiotic factors as pH and temperature.
Various abiotic factors are significant to Lumbricus rubellus. pH is of particular importance; a range of 5.5 to 8.7 is acceptable with a preference for neutral soils.[4] Temperature is also significant, with implications for growth, respiration, metabolism and reproduction amongst other things.[2] An ideal temperature is 51 degrees Fahrenheit (10.6 degrees Celsius). A further abiotic factor is moisture, which is important for respiration. A similar species, Millsonia anomala, was most active at 10-17% moisture content. The substratum for Lumbricus rubellus is related to the species food sources and pH and moisture requirements. Dung is the species preference.[2] With regards to light intensity, most earthworm species are photonegative to strong sources of light and photopositive to weak sources of light.[2] This is attributable to the effects of intense light, such as drying and a lack of food sources found above ground for earthworms.
Behaviour
The sense organs of Lumbricus rubellus associated with feeding are on the prostomium, located at the anterior end of the organism.[2] The chemoreceptors here are sensitive to alkaloids, polyphenols, and acids. Negative responses are caused by acid and alkaloids (at certain levels), while polyphenol sensitivity identifies different food sources. Chemoreceptors can also be found on other parts of the organism's body.[2] These serve to direct the organism away from dangers such as temperature or pH variations, and to direct the organism towards possible food sources.
Role in ecosystems
Lumbricus rubellus is a saprophage which feeds on organic material that is in a high state of decomposition.[3] In ecosystems, earthworms such as Lumbricus rubellus increase the rate of transfer between trophic levels by making it easier for plants to uptake nutrients. In food chains, earthworms such as Lumbricus rubellus are primary consumers whose role is converting the energy synthesized by photosynthetic plants into food for animals at higher trophic levels.
One significant biotic interaction of Lumbricus rubellus results from a relationship with vitamin B12-producing microorganisms such as bacteria and actinomycetes and barley.[3] The presence of such earthworms as Lumbricus rubellus increases concentrations of vitamin B12-producing microorganisms and vitamin B12 in the soil. The result is an increased barley yield and an increased volume of organic material for the earthworms. In this way a positive feedback relationship exists between the barley, microorganisms and Lumbricus rubellus.
Medicinal uses
In traditional Chinese medicine, abdominal extracts from Lumbricus rubellus are used in a preparation known as Di Long, or Earth Dragon, for treatment of rheumatic, phlegm and blood disorders.
References
^ Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg. "Invasion Biology Introduced Species Summary Project: European Earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus)". Columbia University. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
^ a b c d e f g Edwards, C.A., and Lofty J.R. (1972). Biology of earthworms. Halsted Press, New York, NY.
^ a b c Wallwork, J.A. (1983). Earthworm biology. Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd., London, England.
^ Reynolds, J.W., and Dindal, D.L. (1977). The earthworms (Lumbiridea and Sparganophilidea) of Ontario. The Hunter Rose Company, Toronto, Ontario.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lumbricus rubellus.
Article on Lumbricus rubellus
EST project for L. rubellus
Taxon identifiers
Lumbricus rubellus
Wikidata: Q1721412 Wikispecies: Lumbricus rubellus AFD: Lumbricus_rubellus BioLib: 44028 BOLD: 25199 CoL: 6R26H EoL: 3126800 EPPO: LUMBRU EUNIS: 223697 Fauna Europaea: 178344 Fauna Europaea (new): 43271af7-a20a-44ba-9074-a031347e1a7a GBIF: 4410669 GISD: 1711 iNaturalist: 199376 IRMNG: 10433803 ISC: 76781 ITIS: 977383 NatureServe: 2.964733 NBN: NBNSYS0000022357 NCBI: 35632 NZOR: 09615893-be86-4b08-b402-898d62fc3bd2 Observation.org: 27191 Open Tree of Life: 115614 WoRMS: 994658
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lumbricus rubellus", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Content may have been omitted from the original, but no content has been changed or extended.
More Info
Animal Diversity Web
Atlas of Living Australia
Biodiversity Heritage Library
BOLD Systems BIN search
CalPhotos
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Maryland Biodiversity Project
NatureServe Explorer 2.0
NBN Atlas
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Computer Vision Model
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The current Computer Vision Model knows about this taxon, so it might be included in automated suggestions with the "Visually Similar" label.
The "Expected Nearby" label is derived from the Geomodel. Learn more about the Geomodel here.
Thanks for watching James!
i have to give them a shot ken, im not very squeamish .also a very good video, and very cool facts about the little shrimp of the woods.
..bill
I didn't think those were edible before now. Thanks for adding to my foraging capabilities. :)
I breed pill bugs in a plastic box for my dart frogs. I didn't know people could eat them though...
Awesome. In one of my videos, a re-enactment from the 1800s, I ate them, following directions from the time period. They were called "land shrimp." Boil them thoroughly and eat in the shell. They are crunchy, which is OK and the shell provides calcium is said to improve digestion. ...ken
I see, I might have to try that now lol. You have some interesting videos, keep up the good work!
Thanks so much mr. Kenneth, for lots of info about them, but of you read this, i have questions please
hey ken iv picked up a bear like yours lol hes now the mascot and a handy pillow
Most enjoyable video Ken, regards to bear :)
Les.
Thanks! Have a good week, my frined .... ATB
Interesting video!
Thanks for this Ken.
I will be careful not to eat bird poop and stay away from humans. I don't want to become a Zombie......................Haaaaaaaaaaaa
Joking apart, some interesting facts. Thanks for sharing
It hot in the UK now.
Take care and PEACE BRO
Sandy
Thanks, this video really helped me. I have about 16 Woodlice.
Abi Robertson Cool! Woodlice fun to watch!
cool love the rolly polly point of view!
Very interesting segment. Surprised me with these guys.
Love it! Didn't know they could be food.
Oh yes!
Barry, a few weeks ago, I boiled some woodlice and added crayfish seasoning (available from walmart) .... and the little critters tasted like cruchy crayfish.... ATB ....
Thanks!
Much appreciated my friend!
amazing insect inside cool facts.
Very good video!
Guess I'm a kid at heart.... still smile everytime I see it!
Bob, I'm going to sneak som woodlice into the next dinner you cook when were're camping...... !
Thanks Keef!
Well done!
I'm smiling, Swamp Rat. What's cool about woodlice, is that their uropods (extensions from the rear end) can wick-up water to their anus. So they are designed to automatically give themselve enemas when thirsty. Maybe Bear Gryllis observied woodlice behavior, befor giving himself an enema. ha ha.
Very interesting video, never much cared for pill bugs, but now I kinda want to try eating them. Thanks!
Thanks. I tried to find musik, but couldn't find the right beat...
Thanks Dan. They are tasty. Really!
You're welcome. Have a good week, my friend.
Thanks Danny. ATB ....ken
You're welcome, Robert!
You're welcome, my friend. Have a good week. ATB ... ken
My 7 year old daughter keeps two of these as pets in a planter (moist and with dead plant material). I wonder if she is too young to see them being eaten. I don't want to traumatize her. However she wants to know everything about them. I don't know what to do.
Volker Detering In my opinion a 7 yo is too young to see them being eaten. This video is also not appropriate for a young child
Kenneth, this made the rolly-pollys shudder
I really liked this until you ate the poor little crustacean
Aren't they also called Chucky bugs or rolley pollies????????
Yes
I'm smiling too!
hahahahaha definetly Woodlice is my new favourite animal
i do not like the fact that you ate them:(
it's better than killing cows that can actually feel pain the exact way we do
Djz Gamer go vegan
And I always thought a crustacean was a Chinaman who had been run over by a steamroller.
I'm smiling.... technically people can do this .... but they are designed to do it....
Interesting creatures
Hi Richard. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment. ATB, Ken
Keep goin you'll make it one day
Cool music
I had no idia you can eat them . Nice job.
They sure do! :)
I can never figure out who your intended audience is in your videos. Kids or adults?
I can also drink with my anus! Ahahaha! I am so immature and that really got to me, I can't stop laughing
Mine too!
another great snack lol.
Oliver Sorisho Thans Oliver!
Now you'e never starve! ATB...
Technically, we can drink thru our anus too! Just not as convenient or accepted by the general public. ; ) I must say though, I learned a few things....and just when I though there was nothing in the woods I wouldn't try. I'll overcome my anxiety shortly though.....just all the talk of poop and anuses.....any ways, Shrimp is one of my favorite foods so that alone will be enough for me to give it a try! Great video!
Your'e welcome!