Anyone know what these things are?

Bruce Williams · #1 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 09:03 PM

Photo taken in Stony Stratford Nature Reserve, Bucks.

These "whatever they are" were located on the underside of a log lying near to a pond. Ideas anyone?

Bruce

naturelover · #2 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 09:48 PM

do you think they could have been snails once ?possably been eaten and thats the remains.

thunder · #3 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 09:48 PM

Places where a snail has rested? Part of the slime seal?

henrya

lol geoff · #4 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 09:51 PM

They look suspiciouly like some of Wifey's yokshire pud failures to me.

Bub-les · #5 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunder

Places where a snail has rested? Part of the slime seal?

henrya

possibly is snail slime seal.

can you give an indication of size?

dunlin · #6 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunder

Places where a snail has rested? Part of the slime seal?

henrya

sounds good to me.I must say ive never come across it before

Bruce Williams · #7 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 11:59 PM

From memory I would guess their size to be approximately 15mm across - maybe just a little bigger.

Yes I thought possibly something to do with snails too, but I was puzzled by the 3 concentric rings present in all cases (see pic2 for a close-up). I just can't figure how that 3 part structure relates to snails in any way?

However, snail is definitely a possibility - but if so I would love an explanation as to why 3 layers???

Bruce

m1.carson · #8 (**permalink**) 19-02-2008, 07:07 AM

Hi,

Just a guess, greater pond snail epiphragm.

During winter these snails burrow into the soft mud and hibernate. They withdraw into their shells and secrete a thick seal over the mouth of the shell called an epiphragm. This helps to protect them from the cold until spring when they emerge again.

Max.

Bruce Williams · #9 (**permalink**) 19-02-2008, 06:39 PM

Thanks Max. I've since done a fair bit of Googling on your suggestion (which anyway proved quite interesting

) and the shape of the Great Pond Snail's shell mouth does fit quite well with the objects in my photos. Any thoughts as to why there are 3 concentric rings?

Bruce

thunder · #10 (**permalink**) 19-02-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Williams

Thanks Max. I've since done a fair bit of Googling on your suggestion (which anyway proved quite interesting

) and the shape of the Great Pond Snail's shell mouth does fit quite well with the objects in my photos. Any thoughts as to why there are 3 concentric rings?

Bruce

Maybe they come back to the same place year after year?

henrya