Ultraviolet Isopods

[mickiem]

I live in SW Ohio and find these ultraviolet isopods in my garden a lot. I think there are more purple isopods than there are black, pink or gray. I understand a virus causes this anomaly. Does anyone have knowledge of this? It can't be too debilitating; they are plentiful. I'm going to capture and cage some and keep them so I can watch them.

 

[Hisserdude]

These are isopods infected with iridrovirus, a virus which will eventually kill it's isopod hosts. They will all die, and so far no one has been successful breeding a colony of isopods that keeps the virus in it through multiple generations.

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

These are isopods infected with iridrovirus, a virus which will eventually kill it's isopod hosts. They will all die, and so far no one has been successful breeding a colony of isopods that keeps the virus in it through multiple generations.

If they are that common, maybe he'll be the first to do it ;D Having those would be the coolest thing ever, even if they didn't last long as individually. I would try it, you'd make isopod history!

 

[mickiem]

If I were to get a terminal illness, I hope I get one that turns me purple. There is a 10 year old boy in my Sunday School class who wants to try to keep these. I am going to set him up! At the very least, he will enjoy keeping iridescent roly polies.