Also known as terrestrial isopod crustaceans, woodlice are the only land living relative of crabs, lobsters and shrimps and are in fact not classified as insects.
Woodlice live under damp logs, stones and leaves; only coming out in the dark as sunlight kills them. They are scavengers and like worms help turn the soil over.
They have a unique feature in that they remove heavy metals (mercury, lead and cadmium to name just 3) from the soil and have been doing this process since the Cretaceous Period and are often seen in fossils.
They thrive wherever farming and nature coexist, so our health and the balance of nature all hinge on the little things which we take for granted. Like many things in life today they can easily be lost if we are not careful.