Armadillidium gestroi is a beautifully patterned, medium‑sized pillbug species native to Sicily and parts of southern Italy, where it inhabits warm, rocky, Mediterranean landscapes. Its distinctive marbled patterning—soft greys, creams, and muted yellows—helps it blend into limestone outcrops and sun‑bleached leaf litter. Like all true pillbugs, A. gestroi can roll into a tight defensive ball, a behaviour that protects it from predators and desiccation in its naturally dry, exposed habitats.
 
In the wild, this species lives among rock crevices, stone walls, and scrubby vegetation, where pockets of moisture persist beneath stones and within soil cracks. Days are often hot and dry, so they retreat deep into shaded refuges, emerging at night or during periods of higher humidity to forage. Their diet consists of decaying leaves, softened wood, lichens, and biofilm—classic detritivore fare that supports their slow, steady growth.
 
In captivity, Armadillidium gestroi thrives when these Mediterranean conditions are mirrored. They prefer a well‑ventilated enclosure with a moist hide zone and a larger dry area, allowing them to thermoregulate and avoid oversaturation. A substrate mix of soil, sand, leaf litter, and small pieces of limestone or cork bark works beautifully, giving them both structure and microhabitats. They feed readily on leaf litter, rotting wood, fish flakes, and occasional vegetables, and they appreciate calcium sources such as cuttlebone or limestone chips.
 
Their combination of striking patterning, hardy nature, and interesting behaviour makes A. gestroi a favourite among Armadillidium keepers—an ideal species for naturalistic setups that showcase the subtle beauty of Mediterranean isopods.