Friday 18 June 2010

What the....?

During a recent visit to Woolsington Ponds watching Damselfly I saw a couple of these creatures swimming eel-like just below the surface. They were 4"-5" long which they could vary by making themselves thinner and longer. They also looked to be flat across the back rather than rounded. Like nothing I have seen before


Any ideas?

8 comments:

Crammy Birder said...

Well developed Newt tadpoles?

Phil said...

I think they may be horse leeches - they can swim, and well as the more typical looping movement (and they can leave ponds and move overland)

Citybirding said...

Phil, was beginning to wonder after your recent post re foreign worms. Was a bit disturbed because kids were in the pond with them.

Northumbrian Birding said...

I think they could be flat worms, I had one on my blog it was out the water,

Unknown said...

I think these are leeches too - especially from your description of being able to vary length: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6N7wDKEV3w
I shouldn't worry too much about the danger they represent - if anything leeches can be good for the circulation!!!

People - quite naturally I guess - find the idea of these blood sucking creatures a bit disgusting but actually they won't do any real harm & will fall off once they've had enough.

Unknown said...
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Citybirding said...

Brian, I must admit that was my first guess.
Paul, thanks for the info I'll reassure the bathers the next time I see them.

Unknown said...

I'd guess at leeches Definately look and sound like that's what they are