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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: Linda on May 31, 2006, 19:10:41

Title: something nasty in the w....
Post by: Linda on May 31, 2006, 19:10:41

...waterbutt

dear all

Does anyone know what these horrid looking things could be? I don't wnat to destroy them in case they are interesting/rare/goodies/benign, but boy they look grim!

They are larvae of some kind. Currently about 1.5cm long, sausage shaped, whitish. Plus a very long, (about 4cm) thin, whippy tail. They seem to have stubby, caterpillar like legs. The whippy tail SEEMS to have a stiff end to it, which SEEMS to anchor the things to the surface.

They are wriggling about all the time, hence unclear about certain details! A week ago they were translucent (snotties, one of my neighbours called them) with a whitish 'vein' now they have gone all whitish.

YUK!!

But what are they?!

Love and compost
Linda

Title: Re: something nasty in the w....
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 31, 2006, 22:03:33

They're drone fly larvae, known as rat-tailed maggots. They have these long 'tails' to breathe through, which enables them to survive underwater. http://res2.agr.ca/lethbridge/scitech/kdf/rat_e.htm

Title: Re: something nasty in the w....
Post by: Linda on June 03, 2006, 18:22:55

Dear Robert

Thanks for that - they get a reprieve then!

Love and compost
linda