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Transparent worms???

NGLittleSeedlingsNGLittleSeedlings Posts: 729
in Problem solving
I have just discovered what can only be described as a load of small transparent silvery worms on the compost in my dahlia tuber pots. I have never seen them before and they only seem to be in these pots on the surface of the compost, can anyone tell me what they are and if they do any damage? They are only a couple of mm long. Thanks.

Posts

  • NGLittleSeedlingsNGLittleSeedlings Posts: 729

    Anyone???

  • Rio KnightRio Knight Posts: 26
    It could be anything, it's always hard to say without a picture because baby earthworms are transparent ect. but if I had to guess if say it is some kind of Nematode (there are over a million differant kinds) try googling Nematode and click on images then scroll through and see if you can spot the ones you saw.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,128

    Isn't it fascinating what life there is in soil?  We need Nut's microscope image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • NGLittleSeedlingsNGLittleSeedlings Posts: 729
    I did try taking a photo but they didn't show up very well.

    The pots are on the top shelf on some 4 tier staging so I'm rather bemused how they got there unless they were on the tubers :/
  • Rio KnightRio Knight Posts: 26
    From wiki: The different Caenorhabditis species occupy various nutrient and bacteria rich environments. They feed on the bacteria that develop in decaying organic matter. Soil lacks enough organic matter to support self-sustaining populations. C. elegans can survive on a diet of a variety of many kinds of bacteria, but its wild ecology is largely unknown. Most laboratory strains were taken from artificial environments such as gardens and compost piles. More recently, C. elegans has been found to be thriving in other kinds of organic matter, particularly rotting fruit. Invertebrates such as millipedes, insects, isopods, and gastropods can transport dauer larvae, to various suitable locations. The larvae have also been seen to feed on their host when it dies.
  • Rio KnightRio Knight Posts: 26
    I think it's this species of nematode in particular.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,128

    Maybe the adults have wings image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • NGLittleSeedlingsNGLittleSeedlings Posts: 729

    Thanks for everyone's responses image

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    There was a similar thread on here some time ago describing the same thing, then the final decision seemed to be they were harmless naturally occurring larvae of some description, but I can't remember what the name was.

  • NGLittleSeedlingsNGLittleSeedlings Posts: 729

    Thanks Dave

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