Ant Woodlouse - Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii
Size up to 4mm. Ant woodlice are completely off white, perhaps due to their underground lifestyle in ants nests. The ants seem to be quite comfortable sharing their homes with these ghostly white miniature woodlice.
Nearly always found in the underground nests of ants.
All year round.
Tolerated by the ants possibly because the woodlice keep the nest clear of droppings. The dark underground environment does not seem to hinder the woodlice, and it is thought this could be because they are blind.
Fairly frequent in southern Britain less so further north.
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.
AJ Cann
Knighton
11 November 2017
Mike Higgott
Anstey garden
13 April 2018
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
04 June 2012
AJ Cann
Knighton
23 July 2015
David Nicholls
Ketton Quarry NR
24 April 2010
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
17 June 2012
AJ Cann
Leicester Attenborough Arboretum
30 November 2023
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Species profile
- Common names
- Ant Woodlouse
- Species group:
- Woodlice, Crustaceans
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Isopoda
- Family:
- Platyarthridae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 59
- First record:
- 30/09/1987 (Adrian Rundle)
- Last record:
- 24/04/2025 (Higgott, Mike)
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% of records within its species group
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Latest images
Latest records
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
04 June 2012
David Nicholls
Ketton Quarry NR
24 April 2010
AJ Cann
Knighton
23 July 2015
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
04 June 2012
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
17 June 2012
Mike Higgott
Anstey garden
18 March 2022
with Lasius flavus (above)
Mike Higgott
Anstey garden
13 April 2023
Mike Higgott
Anstey garden
13 April 2018
