I guess this belongs here... Pill bugs

[EmmVeePee]

We were observing pill bugs the other day in a walled dish. We noticed when the pill bug fell on its back, it could never get back up no matter how hard it tried. They would even latch on to each other to try and upright themselves. There seemed to be no comarady between the bugs.

Well I observed a capsized one for 10 minutes on it's back, it gave short bursts of energy followed by a period of rest. After the 10 minutes I flipped him over (he died the next day =( ) But I was thinking... what happens in the wild when these bugs capsize? I mean, there is plenty of flat surfaces in nature, they have to flip over often. Are they just food after they flip? Does the rougher terrain offer more friction to pull on to? Is there a comarady between bugs of the same family?

Thanks
Greg

[b_d_41501]

If i had to offer an explanation i would say that there are more surfaces of friction in the wild. I mean in a walled dish you've got a slick surface (assuming there was no dirt) so it would be hard for it to pull itself over.

[James]

Yeh, otherwise they would have probably evolved a mechanism to flip back over

[MrMistery]

Don't insects have an r strategy?
I mean isn't that why they lay so many eggs, because there are ;ittle chances of them reproducing?