[2] It preys on small invertebrates such as woodlice (including Philoscia muscorum, Oniscus asellus, Porcellio scaber, and Androniscus dentiger) and millipedes, including Polydesmus angustus and Tachypodoiulus niger.

[2] For a long time, it was thought that L. variegatus was endemic to the British Isles, but populations were later discovered in the Channel Islands, Brittany, northwestern Spain, and northern Portugal.

[3] There are also records from southern Italy, Morocco, and Tunisia, making it a good example of a member of the Lusitanian fauna – species found in the western Mediterranean region and extending northwards to the British Isles, but avoiding most of North-West Europe.

[3] Lithobius variegatus also contains the subspecies L. v. rubripes, which was formerly treated as a separate species.

It is more widespread in Western Europe and lacks the banding pattern on the legs.