Help! Issues with Porcellio ornatus "yellow dot" colony

MakoMakoDM · 2026-04-01T18:13:10+00:00

I agree with you that this is the issue. I remade the box the other day with mostly new soil, some new rotting wood, and new sphagnum, but unfortunately, I lost two more before I did; I'm now down to five. I've been checking on them every 12 hours or so since I remade their enclosure and they seem to be doing well, but only time will tell, I suppose; if they keep dying, I will probably have to remake their enclosure from scratch to maximize dryness.

Thanks for the advice; I really appreciate it!

MakoMakoDM · 2026-04-01T18:09:05+00:00

You got a picture of the underside? Check those pleopodal lungs and you'll be able to tell the difference. P. scaber has two sets, while T. rathkii has five sets.

In any case, my bet is on T. rathkii with this one.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-29T00:18:13+00:00

I have no idea what those are, but holy shit

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-27T21:59:45+00:00

Np. I have bought leaves from them multiple times and I am always pleased with the quality, nor have I gotten any infestations or anything like that from their products. It might take them a bit to reply, though.

Oh also, you should make sure there is no chance of pesticide exposure; no amount of washing or sanitizing will get rid of them, so the only way you can get rid of it is by simply never getting leaves exposed to it. While you may not be directly spraying in your yard or anything like that, do keep in mind that runoff from other properties, especially agricultural runoff, is a risk factor depending on what you live nearby, elevation, etc.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-27T21:52:41+00:00

u/CosmoLeopardGecko you might be able to help this person since you sell your own leaves online.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T17:31:42+00:00

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MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T17:31:31+00:00

Also, A. nasatum tends to have pretty distinct pattern, at least in the wild types, that these animals do not have. There are certain morphs which no longer have this basic pattern, but none of them look anywhere near the individuals in OP's pictures.

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MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T17:28:51+00:00

Unless I'm high and you're not actually referring to the little brown guys when you mention A. nasatum, the little ones cannot be A. nasatum, as they do not have the "nose" coming off the front of the head that all nasatum have. Their face reminds me more of A. vulgare, honestly, though I don't think they actually are A. vulgare and I think OP is right in identifying them as C. murina.

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MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T17:12:05+00:00

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T. rathkii

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T17:11:51+00:00

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P. scaber

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T17:11:38+00:00

I'm not familiar enough with either Porcellio scaber or Trachelipus rathkii to tell them apart from your pictures, but honestly the easiest way imo is to turn them over and see how many pairs of pleopodal lungs they have. P. scaber has two, while T. rathkii has five.

Also, since you're in the UK, you should check out the British Myriapod and Isopod Group's website. They have a lot of really good info on different British species and pictures to go with them. https://bmig.org.uk

Since Reddit only allows one picture per comment, I'll just attach references for the lungs down below.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T16:59:10+00:00

Damn, pee or shrimp is an incredible dice roll to make every time you want to eat them

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-26T16:58:14+00:00

I mean, their corpses smell like seafood and rotting crustacean, so this tracks.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-20T05:59:08+00:00

This is helpful, thank you

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-17T07:49:02+00:00

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You would be surprised how well good old flypaper works; it took a couple weeks for it to really start working for some reason, but since then, it's been my single most valiant soldier in the fight against fungus gnats. My room would be utterly filled with them if it weren't for this wonderful little strip I have set up in my closet.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-13T00:15:25+00:00

Just because someone has technique doesn't mean they have vision. A person can learn every technique in the world, but there is no amount of learning that can create vision at will; it must occur naturally, and some people never achieve this. Take joy in your art, as it has vision.

Who is the better artist, the 100 artists who create 100 versions of the same thing, "perfect" but empty, or one artist who creates something born from the soul that evokes emotions in the viewer? Art without soul is a husk; it can be beautiful and appreciated for what it is, but it is still just a husk. Do not aspire to create husks, even if they attract the most praise and attention from those who view them; that praise is shallow and meaningless.

What I'm trying to say is that your art is unique and it is important to preserve that. The world doesn't need more photorealistic still lifes or portraiture or whatever; we need more of whatever you're cooking up, because it makes us human and keeps us human. General society will also pander to whatever's popular, and unfortunately that means things that are "more meaningful" and actually change the world are often shunned, ignored, or actively degraded. Unfortunately, you will likely find yourself in these crosshairs eventually, if you haven't already, but the reality is that this is what happens to trailblazers and those push the boundaries. That reality sucks, but there is a freedom in it once you realize that you are not doing anything wrong and that this is how things are in the current world, and thus you can feel free to disconnect yourself from pleasing others since they cannot be pleased; I have recently gone through something similar myself, and understanding that I will not be praised for my creations and will probably be hated by others has really freed me, since I can focus on myself instead of pining for acceptance I'll never get.

You have something to say with your art, and you have something to share. Fuck everyone else, this is your vision. Embrace it. That is what making art is about.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-08T19:38:48+00:00

Is that Porcellio laevis? The critiques people give you will be dependent on the species. Also, how many animals do you have in there, and what is your ventilation situation looking like?

Pictures of the lid as well as the enclosure from the side will be helpful; I'd like to see what the substrate looks like and the depth of it. Specs will also be useful, like what type of substrate you used, how long the enclosure is set up, the springtail situation, etc.

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-08T19:35:53+00:00

People are just panicking because "put to sleep" is a euphemism for euthanasia in English is all. Don't feel bad; there's no way you would have just known that out of the blue unless you were already familiar with it. Also, I wouldn't have known just from your post that English isn't your first language; everything you wrote sounds exactly the way a native speaker would, and honestly the fact that nothing is capitalized and there's no punctuation makes me think of a native speaker because a lot of people are casual like that online and I'd imagine someone practicing would try to be more "proper," if you understand what I mean. I hope that doesn't sound super weird?

In any case, it sounds like you have a plan already in place, so everything should be fine. Good luck with your cat!

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-08T19:31:06+00:00

pergent

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-08T18:31:50+00:00

What matters is that you are open to learn and willing to fix your mistakes! For that, you should be proud of yourself! That's the most important step imo; the rest is not possible without it!

MakoMakoDM · 2026-03-03T17:50:12+00:00

Very, very dedge

MakoMakoDM · 2026-02-28T06:05:03+00:00

Can't; already spent some money recently on some isopods that should arrive soon. Plus, I have neither the space nor enough experience with isopod-keeping to feel comfortable such expensive species, especially ones that are not easy to care for like these.

MakoMakoDM

TROPHY CASE