Pill Bug with Iridovirus

2021

9 1/2’’ x 6 3/4’’

felt, beads, embroidery thread, wire

soft sculpture secured onto a stained wooden plaque with woodburn filigree

Artist Notes

Previous to starting this project, I had always been intrigued by pill bugs, or, as some say, rollie-pollies.

Lifting up rocks in the spring to unveil spiders, earthworms, the occasional gecko, and hundreds of small armored insects of varying sizes is a memory I am fond of and continue to develop.

While seeing these creatures in the wild I recalled sometimes seeing an opposing blue bug moving among the grey members of the colony. I was never sure whether or not this insect was the same species as the others or an entirely different subspecies until I had started this project. I come to discover that these vividly colored insects were in fact the same species, but were being affected by Isopod Iridovirus.

Isopod Iridovirus affects a variety of species of isopods, including Pillbugs. This virus causes crystals to form under the exoskeleton thus causing a vivid blue or purple coloration in the specimens affected by the virus. This virus is deadly and can take out entire colonies, it also shortens the life span of the affected insect.

As an explanation for the varying motifs, wood burned on the plague, there are many significant ones. I included plant matter to allude to what pill bugs consume, as well as teeth to represent their required calcium intake as well as to emphasize their consumption of decaying plant matter. The roman numeral represents the number of months that is the typical life span for pill bugs affected by iridovirus.