Using woodlice (Isopoda,Oniscoidea) to demonstrate orientation behaviour

Woodlice show two behavioural kineses as adaptations to prevent water loss. These are attraction to solid objects, including each other, (thigmokinesis), and attraction to dark places (negative photqkinesis). The interaction between these two kineses was tested in a classroom experiment, in which one to five woodlice were placed in a petri dish with one half painted black. The strongest response was the thigmotactic attraction, with negative photokinesis playing a secondary role. From these experiments students learn about cooperation, taxes (directional responses to stimulus i.e. the woodlice move towards or away from a stimulus) and kineses (non-directional response to stimulus, i.e. the woodlice respond by showing an increase or decrease in activity level), and experimental design.