Slug eggs?

Toby · #1 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 02:28 PM

The blind springtail appears to be inspecting eggs from the slug but I thought they were round?

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 02:33 PM

Hi Toby,

It looks to me like parasite eggs on the slug, one at the top even looks well embedded. I don't know what the snail-slug killer flies eggs look like, but they certainly don't look like slugs eggs to me. They usually are in clusters under a pot or other covering structure.

Janet

Toby · #3 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 03:45 PM

that could be the answer, thanks for looking.

Dogghound · #4 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 03:47 PM

I agree they dont look like slug eggs. They could well be from one of the species that parasitise slugs. Such as Pherbellia cinerella .

Toby · #5 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 04:01 PM

I haven't photographed any Sciomyzidae in my garden but that certainly doesn't rule that fly out.

Dogghound · #6 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 04:03 PM

Yes I was just giving it as a rough example of a parasite, im not to sure you could ID it from the eggs. Im not 100% sure these are dipteran.

squishy · #7 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 04:07 PM

i'm sure there must be some kind of wasp that parasetises slugs, i mean they can hardly run away can they?

easy targets for parasetic insects

Fauna · #8 (**permalink**) 01-01-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby

The blind springtail appears to be inspecting eggs from the slug but I thought they were round?

This slug is definetly laying eggs, you can see one coming from the genital opening.

Not all slug/snail eggs are round, some do take on a more ovid shape. I beleive these look elongated as they are fresh, once deposited they will/may change shape slightly.

Regards Chris.