how many legs does woodlouse have

Adult woodlice typically have 14 legs, arranged as 7 pairs along their body. Juvenile woodlice start with 12 legs (6 pairs) and gain the final pair after early moults.

Quick Scoop

• Adult woodlouse leg count: 14 legs (7 pairs), which is a key feature of woodlice and other isopods.

• Juveniles (mancas): Begin life with only 6 pairs of legs and develop the 7th pair after moulting, ending up with 14 legs.

• Why not an insect?: Insects have 6 legs total, so the 14-legged woodlouse clearly belongs with crustaceans like isopods rather than insects.

In many forum and garden discussions, people calling them “roly-polies” or “potato bugs” are often surprised to learn these tiny backyard creatures are multi-legged land crustaceans, not insects.

TL;DR: A fully grown woodlouse has 14 legs, while very young ones briefly have fewer until they finish their early moults.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.