Eggs found in dead wood

[jdoherty]

I took this photo yesterday in Oxford Island Nature Reserve in N.Ireland. I found them when peeling back some bark on a large piece of dead wood lying on the ground. It was rotting badly and there were lots of woodlice, centipedes and snails. You can see a couple of small snails on the lower right of the picture but I don't know if they had emerged from the eggs. The eggs were light soft balls with an appearance of whispy cotton wool. I didn't open any of the eggs. ID anyone?

[Dogghound]

There definitely not snail or slug or woodlice eggs. There spider egg sacks of some species. Possibly Linyphiidae although im not much of a spider expert so i may be corrected on the family.

[Lance Morgan]

yes I would say spider of some sort. I have found lots of these in shed etc.

[dragonfly]

possiabilty stag beetel as they make nests in rotting wood

[Dogghound]

There not stag beetle or any other beetle eggs. Stag beetle eggs look very different and arnt in a cocoon like these. I dont think they are insect eggs at all.

[Lance Morgan]

Almost certain these are spider egg sacs but don't know which species

[jdoherty]

Thanks for the help everyone. It's nice to know that they are spiders egg sacs. If anyone can suggest a more positive ID, I would be very happy.

John