Its day is as night
As it has no sight
And away from light
Its become quite white.
Ants treat it as a guest
And never a pest
As well as they might
For this little louse
Cleans up their house.
But horror!
Its said if they’re in the mood
It becomes a morsel of ant food!

Stella M Turk MBE

September 1998

Stellas notes:

Platyarthrus hoffmanseggii is a small white, blind woodlouse, mainly found in the nests of ants. It feeds on the faeces of its hosts which, in general, ignore it.

 

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