On Sun, 8 Aug 2004 09:53:24 +0100, Kay
wrote:

In article , Sally Thompson
writes
On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 23:30:18 +0100, "Doug."
wrote:


"Sally Thompson" wrote in message
...
Well, I don't know how else to describe it! This is definitely not
blanket weed (which I do recognise), but we have something like green
tapioca in one of our smaller ponds. If I scoop it up in the net, it
is surprisingly heavy and it is very jelly like and slithery. It/they
seem to have a few bubbles round them, as well. Does anyone know what
it is? I have tried a search, but it's like a needle in a haystack.

There is another green alga in ponds which seems to tap a lot of air,
especially in hot weather and is like heavy transparent green very
irregular worms with lots of obvious air bubbles.

Kay, that sounds exactly right - and I would have thought they were
algae originally except for the "slitheriness" of them. They are
heavy, and lots of air bubbles as you say.

I did wonder if it (they) were some kind of eggs attracting algae -
could it be snail's eggs, for instance?

snails eggs are a single blob of jelly about an inch long and 1/4 inch
wide on the underside of a leaf or on the wall of the pond.

Yes, these we have seen and put back if we pull them out by mistake.

Any road up, - My frog and toad spawn did not arrive this year.. The
pond is a stagnant one but is a live entity with aerating plants and one
big waterlily, and even has a few small leeches in it, I therefore keep
my hands out of the pond so that they will still remain small. I know
all about leeches , - big 'uns.(Jungle... - say no more!, I don't want
to swing the old lantern!.)

The leeches you find in garden ponds feed on detritus or snails. There
is also one species that feeds on fish. You are not in the slightest bit
of danger from them. See Edward's earthworm page (leeches are a close
relative of earthworms)

I'm not particularly bothered by the little leeches - it was Doug
referring to the Jungle ones. I agree, we find absolutely everything
going on in there quite fascinating.

http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

they are worth looking at with as much interest as any other bit of
wildlife.

Thanks for the reference. I've looked at your earthworm page before
and will now go and do so again.


--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
bed and breakfast near Ludlow: http://www.stonybrook-ludlow.co.uk
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