General: Sowbugs (Family Porcellionidae) are small terrestrial creatures of damp places with a hinged exoskeleton like an armadillo, but not the ability to roll up into a tightly closed ball. Sowbugs have seven pairs of legs and two short tails (uropoda). Typical of crustaceans, sowbugs have two pairs of antennae, but one is large, and the other is tiny and not visible from above. The flagellum, the end section of the antenna, is composed of only two parts; and the carapace is smooth and shiny.

Sowbugs are worldwide in distribution. In the United States, the two most common species are Porcellio laevis and Porcellio scaber, which has a bumpy carapace.

Sowbugs tend to be inactive during the day, staying hidden to stay cool and reduce water loss. At night, they come out to scavenge on decaying organic matter such as grass clippings, garden mulch, and other decaying vegetation.