strange insect from wicklow

eoinkildare

Hey lads and lassies,
I was camping in Co. Wicklow over the weekend and I found this very strange insect by a stream. The insect looked like a round berry of some sort when I first observed it and so I picked it up to examine it. I then realised it might be an insect so I lay it back on the ground and watched until it moved. Upon disturbing it, the insect rolled up again. It was dark or black with yellowish stripes on its back. It was approximately half an inch long and had a shell similar to a woodlouse by the looks of things. I didn't want to kill it so I didn't examine it very thoroughly but I took this video. Can anyone tell me what it is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUYrKH8YEd8&feature=plcp

Thanks,
Eoin

eoinkildare

I'm guessing it's the same family as the woodlouse and i'm more interested in finding out what exactly they are and how common they are in Ireland.

Thanks again,
Eoin

Mothman

It is a woodlouse of which there are a few kinds. It is in all probability one of the common species
They are not insects which have 6 legs but a crustacean.

EoghanConway

Looks like a pillbug, a type of woodlouse indeed. Wasn't aware they were native to Ireland

F.R.

Though it's out of focus from the banding I think it is a Pill millipede (Glomeris marginata) they are common throughout Ireland.

The Pillbug is more common in the South than the North of the country but is found throughout Ireland.

Image from Wikipedia for comparison op maybe you can say which it was.