Can You Eat Woodlice? Safety, Nutrition, and Preparation Guide

Many people exploring survival skills, foraging, or alternative protein sources eventually ask: can you eat woodlice? (also known as pill bugs, roly‑polies, or woodlouse).
The short answer: yes, woodlice are technically edible—but there are important health, safety, and preparation considerations you must understand first.

This guide explains:

Whether woodlice are safe to eat
How nutritious they are
The risks involved
How to prepare woodlice properly
When it might make sense to eat them (and when it absolutely doesn’t)

What Are Woodlice?

Woodlice are small crustaceans that live on land. They belong to the order Isopoda and are more closely related to shrimp and crabs than to insects.

Common names include:

Woodlouse / Woodlice (plural)
Pill bug / Roly‑poly (for species that roll into a ball)
Sow bug

They’re usually found:

Under logs and rocks
In damp leaf litter
Around compost heaps and garden beds

Because they feed on decaying organic matter, people often wonder if they’re dirty or dangerous to eat.

Can You Eat Woodlice?

Yes – But Only If Properly Prepared

Humans can eat woodlice, and they have historically been eaten in some cultures and in survival situations. As terrestrial crustaceans, they are broadly similar to very small shrimp, at least in structure.

However:

They must be cooked to reduce potential pathogens and parasites.
They should be collected from clean environments (not sprayed, polluted, or contaminated).
They should be seen as a last-resort survival food rather than a regular dietary staple, unless you are very confident in sourcing and preparation.

Are Woodlice Safe to Eat?

1. Potential Benefits

Woodlice can be:

Protein-rich relative to their size (similar to other small arthropods)
Low in fat
A potential emergency food in survival scenarios

In emergency conditions, they may provide a small amount of:

Protein
Minerals (as crustaceans often contain calcium in their exoskeletons)

Note: Exact nutritional values for woodlice specifically are not well-established in widely cited food composition databases. They are usually discussed alongside general edible insects and arthropods.

2. Potential Risks

The main concerns when asking “can you eat woodlice safely?” are:

a) Pathogens and Parasites

Woodlice live in moist, decaying environments and may be exposed to:

Bacteria
Fungi
Parasites

Thorough cooking is essential to reduce these risks.

b) Environmental Contaminants

Where you find the woodlice is critical. Avoid collecting them from:

Areas treated with pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers
Roadside verges (risk of heavy metals and exhaust pollutants)
Industrial zones or polluted waterways

Woodlice can accumulate contaminants from their environment, so location matters.

c) Allergic Reactions (Shellfish Cross-Reactivity)

Woodlice are crustaceans. People with a shellfish allergy may be at risk of reactions, because many allergens are structurally related across crustaceans like:

Shrimp
Crabs
Lobsters

If you have any shellfish or dust-mite allergy, it is safest to avoid eating woodlice entirely.

d) Texture and Digestibility

The exoskeleton is made of chitin, which humans don’t digest well. Small quantities are usually tolerated, but:

Large amounts may cause digestive discomfort for some people
Grinding or crushing before cooking can help, but is not always practical in survival situations

What Do Woodlice Taste Like?

Taste reports are limited and subjective, but people who have eaten them commonly describe:

A flavor somewhat like shrimp or other small crustaceans
A slightly earthy or musty undertone (likely from their habitat and diet)

Because they’re so small, their culinary value is mostly as a novelty or for survival purposes, rather than as a mainstream food.

How to Eat Woodlice Safely

If you do decide to eat woodlice, particularly in a foraging or survival context, follow these steps to reduce risks.

1. Sourcing: Where to Collect Woodlice

Only collect from clean, natural environments, such as:

Untreated woodland areas
Wild forests far from main roads
Private gardens you know are free from pesticides and toxic chemicals

Avoid:

Urban parks treated with chemicals
Road verges
Industrial areas
Areas near landfills or contaminated water

2. Purging (Optional but Recommended)

Like many foraged arthropods, some people recommend a brief purging period:

Place woodlice in a clean container with:
- Slightly damp paper or leaves
- No decaying waste
Keep them for several hours (up to a day).
This may allow them to empty their gut contents somewhat.

Evidence is mostly anecdotal, but it’s a common practice in survival foraging.

3. Cleaning

Before cooking:

Rinse woodlice in clean, potable water.
Remove visible debris.

4. Cooking Methods

Never eat woodlice raw.

Safe methods include:

Boiling:
- Drop them into boiling water for several minutes.
- This is the simplest method in a survival setting.
Roasting or Pan-Frying:
- After boiling, you can dry-roast them over a fire or pan-fry them in a small amount of fat or oil.
- This can improve flavor and texture.
Adding to Soups or Broths:
- In survival situations, they can be boiled with other ingredients to make a thin protein-rich broth.

Cook until:

They change color (if noticeable, often to a duller tone)
They are thoroughly heated through

5. Eating

Depending on size, you may:

Eat them whole, or
Crush them slightly after cooking to break up the exoskeleton

Start with a small amount and observe how your body reacts, especially if you have any history of food sensitivities.

When Might You Eat Woodlice?

1. Survival Situations

Woodlice might be considered in environments where:

Food sources are scarce
Small arthropods are easier to find than larger game or plants
You need any available protein

They are not a high-yield food (you need a lot of them for modest calories), but they can supplement other survival foods.

2. Foraging and Education

Some people eat woodlice:

As part of foraging workshops or wilderness training
To learn hands-on about edible invertebrates
As a way of understanding primitive or emergency food options

In this context, safety and proper instruction are crucial.

3. Experimental or Novelty Foods

With rising interest in edible insects and alternative proteins, some enthusiasts experiment with woodlice. However, they are not mainstream in culinary entomology, and most edible insect products on the market focus on:

Crickets
Mealworms
Grasshoppers

When You Should NOT Eat Woodlice

Avoid eating woodlice if:

You have a shellfish allergy or serious food allergies.
You suspect the area may be contaminated with chemicals, heavy metals, or sewage.
You are pregnant, breastfeeding, very young, elderly, or immunocompromised, as your infection risk is higher.
You are in a situation where safer, known foods are available.

In non-emergency contexts, there is usually no strong reason to rely on woodlice as food, given the limited information and safer alternatives.

Ethical and Practical Considerations

Even small creatures contribute to ecosystems. Woodlice:

Help break down dead plant matter
Recycle nutrients in the soil
Provide food for birds, amphibians, and small mammals

If you do harvest them:

Take only what you genuinely need
Avoid heavily disrupting logs, leaf litter, and microhabitats
Prefer education and survival practice over casual consumption

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you eat woodlice raw?

No. Do not eat woodlice raw. Raw consumption significantly increases the risk of:

Bacterial infection
Parasitic infection
Exposure to pathogens from decaying matter

Always cook thoroughly before eating.

2. Are woodlice poisonous or toxic?

Woodlice are not inherently poisonous to humans. They do not produce venom or known toxins specifically aimed at humans.

However, they can:

Carry environmental contaminants (e.g., pesticides, heavy metals)
Harbor bacteria or parasites

That’s why source and cooking are critical for safety.

3. Are woodlice insects?

No. Woodlice are crustaceans, not insects. They are more closely related to:

Crabs
Shrimp
Lobsters

This is important because people with crustacean (shellfish) allergies may react to them.

4. How many woodlice would you need to make a meal?

A lot. Woodlice are small and low in calories individually. In a survival context, they’re best considered as:

Supplemental protein, not a stand-alone meal
A modest addition to other foraged foods, plants, or small game

5. Can children eat woodlice?

It is not advisable to give woodlice to children as food. Children:

Have higher relative vulnerability to foodborne pathogens
May have undiagnosed allergies

Unless under professionally supervised educational conditions, it’s safer to avoid.

6. Are woodlice used in traditional cuisine anywhere?

There are references to woodlice being eaten historically or in survival and folk-medicine contexts, but they are not a well-documented mainstream food in modern cuisines. Most contemporary interest in edible arthropods focuses on insects and more commonly farmed species.

7. Is it legal to eat woodlice?

In most places, there are no specific laws about eating woodlice you find on your own property or in the wild, but:

Local regulations may restrict foraging in protected areas or nature reserves.
Always check local wildlife and foraging laws before collecting any wild species.

Key Takeaways: Can You Eat Woodlice?

Yes, you can eat woodlice if they are properly sourced and thoroughly cooked.
They are a potential survival food, offering small amounts of protein and minerals.
Major risks come from environmental contaminants, pathogens, and allergies.
Only collect from clean, untreated, non-polluted areas and never eat them raw.
For everyday nutrition, safer and more studied foods (including commercially raised edible insects, where legal and available) are a better choice than wild woodlice.

If you’re interested in wild foods and emergency nutrition, it’s wise to combine reading with practical instruction from experienced foraging or survival educators in your region, and always follow local regulations and safety guidelines.

Can You Eat Woodlice