Translucent worms!

robinredbreast · September 2019

hello! Please can someone help. Have just used my watering can that was laid in the water butt, I noticed it had a few see through worms with black dots on it, perhaps an inch long. Any idea what these are? Really just want to exclude that they are parasitic. I’ve scoured the net and cannot identify them.

Ceres · September 2019

They look like snail's eggs. They normally lay eggs on aquatic plant leaves like water lilies but if your watering can was submerged for a while, I guess they thought that would do.

robinredbreast · September 2019

Ah I’m not sure. I’ve marked up where the worms were

fidgetbones · September 2019

Are they fixed or do they move?

robinredbreast · September 2019

They were moving slowly trying to get back into the water

fidgetbones · September 2019

If they move they are likely to be either a waterborne flatworm, or a leech. Without a better close up photo it is difficult to identify. Both are carnivorous, but play a role in the ecosystem, so I would let them be. The new zealand flatworm preys on our native earthworms, so I would kill any of those I found.

http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/Downloads/5-2005 - jones - british land flatworms[16012014].pdf

Ceres · September 2019

This is really bugging me. I think fidgetbones is right but finding a picture that corresponds with the creatures on the watering is tricky. https://www.flickr.com/photos/roger_key/7108968247 Could it be one of these....a Helobdella stagnalis?

Translucent worms!

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