Slime Mould - Or Eggs ?

Lancashire Lad · #1 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 09:39 PM

Found these today, on a totally rotten section of tree-trunk (fell apart as I moved it).

On first spotting the white shapes, I initially thought slime mould. However, when I got near enough to inspect the blobs closely, they look like no slime mould I've seen.

But - if it is not a slime mould, what sort of insect (?) would lay it's eggs out in the open amid the crevices of an old rotten trunk, fully exposed to the weather and any passing predator?

The aphid's certainly seemed to like whatever it is - (The blurry bits on the photos are aphids moving during the two second exposure

).

Slime mould or eggs? I'm not sure. Anyone care to offer an opinion.

Regards
Mike.

diggleken · #2 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 09:45 PM

I'm sure I can see tiny stalks on one or two Mike - if so, not eggs.
But it could be my eyes , usually in bed getting my beauty sleep by now.

Ken

KeenTeen17 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 09:45 PM

looks like Slime Mould to me

diggleken · #4 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 09:48 PM

Good night all.
K
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

KeenTeen17 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diggleken

I'm sure I can see tiny stalks on one or two Mike - if so, not eggs.
But it could be my eyes , usually in bed getting my beauty sleep by now.

Ken

Quote:

Originally Posted by diggleken

Good night all.
K
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

I can see a stalk as well. its on the right photo , the furthest "egg" to the right just below it is the stalk.

night Ken I'm off as well

ron1863 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 10:03 PM

It's not eggs unless eggs have stalks. I csn see a lot og stems in the shots.

Lancashire Lad · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 10:16 PM

Thanks for the replies folks.

I could see a few "stalks" too (unfortunately only when I got home & saw the photo enlarged on the computer).

But I wasn't (and still am not) too sure if it isn't actually some sort of viscous strand of glue that might be sticking the egg to the wood. - If they are eggs that is.

It's just that I can't find any sort of slime mould that seems to look quite like this stuff does, with such defined & relatively large glossy individual spheres.

Regards
Mike.

CapAndBracket · #8 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 10:32 PM

I'm inclined to agree with you, i can't see any sign of plasmodium around
the area (that slime mould would have formed from), but i've been wrong
before. (maybe slug eggs, they like damp wood).

Cheers J.P.

Chris Yeates · #9 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 10:42 PM

variation in size and shape = myxo not eggs

go back tomorrow and see what it looks like

Chris

Jason Green · #10 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 11:22 PM

Hmmm... I would have said slug eggs, but upon reading through later posts I re-looked and can see perhaps too much variance in shape and size. They also seem to be too seperated, so I might guess it is not eggs - though the habitat is right.

Perhaps post it again in the appropriate category of the Invertebrate forum?