Conservation in Action: Identifying the Sea Slater
The Historic Dockyard Chatham regularly monitors insects and pests as part of the museum’s Insect and Pest Management (IPM) process.
Have you ever heard of a Sea Slater? Neither had we until very recently. A few weeks ago, our IPM volunteers noticed these unusual and very large creatures hanging out around the site and went on a journey to identify them.
Being close to the riverfront, the Dockyard hosts an array of wildlife that play a part in maintaining our ecosystem. One of those species is the sea slater, a cousin of the regular woodlouse found in the garden. Technically classified as a crustacean, they can reach up to a whopping 3cm in length and live for 2.5 years.
Sea slaters feast on decaying materials like seaweed and other marine detritus and are known as “sea roaches.” They help to break down all sorts of natural materials on our beaches and rivers.
Not much is known about the impact these creatures have on museum collections. We suspect that they may nibble on natural history collections if they manage to make their way to stores. The sea slater is unable to survive in low RH environments and often will die off quickly on land, making it unlikely they will impact collections.
Have you ever spotted a sea slater? What other unusual wildlife have you seen in your garden?
When you’re next at the Dockyard, keep an eye open and see if you can spot a sea slater.
For more information, visit the sea slater page on the Wildlife Trust webpage.
