Though there are plenty of woodlice in plenty of areas more interesting than a truck-yard on the South Side of Chicago, I haven’t seen them. I’m sure that larger specimens have already emerged and begun feasting on whatever winter left for them. I saw this one: a rather dusty-shelled juvenile, not yet as flagrantly patterned as he’s likely to become by the end of summer. Yes, the specimen in question is male. I checked. Not a hard thing to do when you know what anatomical arrangements to look for. There were others in the immediate vicinity. There were odd, yellowish centipedes as well—I’d attempted to photograph them. I captured one or two other woodlice, and the centipedes came out as garishly-yellow centipede-shaped blur: not impressive at all, not even by abstract “spin and jiggle” standards. The other woodlice will likely make their way into my gallery; the centipedes will remain anonymous, unless—by some quirk—I’m able to photograph them before they darken. I can’t say I was inordinately pleased to be at the truck yard (again) but I did have rather amusing company. Rover stood on duty, with a new assistant. Toxins leaked from beneath various trucks, and the first signs of spring emerged on the railroad embankment defining the northern border of the truck yard. I snapped this shot while awaiting a ride home. I caught this curled specimen of woodlouse beauty, just before my camera batteries died. And now, as one set of batteries recharges, and another set becomes accustomed to the inside of my camera, I’m looking back at the year’s first woodlouse. I’m not sure if I’ll ever see this individual again, but due to the number of them I saw (in one area) it looks as if there will be plenty of charming isopods ambling around a truck-contaminated piece of South Side Chicago real estate. If all goes well, this will be the last year in which I have reason to visit the truck yard, and so it’s only fitting to capture as many life-form images as I can, before I move on to greener (less toxic) pastures. As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week. I still have a ton of catching up to do, and I’m in the midst of endless activity (related to the aforementioned truck yard, and the various chattering primates who make use of it.) As soon as things settle, I’ll be back to posting and commenting regularly, and until then, I hope you enjoy the scant offerings I’m able to make now.