animal? vegatable? or a childs' sweet?

[wildone]

In case it is an aid to further ID this, I took another photo today (26-10-05). It is noticable that there have been some changes inside the jelly. Have been unable to locate the second one nearby, but found one at a distance of 2-2.5 meters away. This one has rather a lot of mud on it from the Trust vehicles splashing through the puddles after all the rain lately.

Wildone

[henrya]

Just heard from the caddisfly man, and yes, they are caddisfly eggs.

He says it is a species called Glyphotaelius pellucidus.

Quote
It aims to lay on leaves that overhang areas that will be underwater in winter, and very rarely gets its co-ordinates wrong. The larvae develop in the egg jelly and make their way to the surface and get washed off by rain; the egg mass gets runnier as larval movement within it breaks up the jelly matrix. If they get washed off before the water body has wetted they just burrow into the damp soil and wait the flood!
Endquote

Thanks Dr Wallace.

henrya

[StuartDH]

That's fascinating that they can assess a site and predict water levels for the winter.

[wildone]

Originally Posted by henrya

Just heard from the caddisfly man, and yes, they are caddisfly eggs.

He says it is a species called Glyphotaelius pellucidus.

Quote
It aims to lay on leaves that overhang areas that will be underwater in winter, and very rarely gets its co-ordinates wrong. The larvae develop in the egg jelly and make their way to the surface and get washed off by rain; the egg mass gets runnier as larval movement within it breaks up the jelly matrix. If they get washed off before the water body has wetted they just burrow into the damp soil and wait the flood!
Endquote

Thanks Dr Wallace.

henrya

A very big 'Thank You' to both you Henrya and to Dr. Walace.

It will be interesting to see whether that part of the path floods this winter. Should it do so it will curtail my trips around the country park as the ground on the other side of the river lies even lower. I wonder if the adult hoped that the small amount of water running down nearby would take her young to where there is deeper water. Perhaps we'll never know.

Thanking you once again

Wildone

ps Went to look at it today and the jelly was empty. Looked just like a drop of rain on the leaf but on touching it found it was jelly. W

pps Maybe you will get all the rain you need Henrya. We have had a fair amount lately in the north of the county. W

[Boddie]

What a fantastic thread. It had a few on the edge of their seats, thumbing through literature to try to find the answer and a positive conclusion. What forums are all about I'd say.

[Lesinlondon]

Thanks to everyone for this thread! And to Kia for the link.

I found one of these jelly masses yesterday and was baffled what it was. I went back today and it was gone. Strange but I did get the impression there was something alive beneath the jelly. I wonder if it moved on its own? Anyway, id solved.

Les

[squishy]

they are caddisfly eggs, look at this
http://taos-telecommunity.org/EPOW/E...0mass%2010.JPG

that is pretty much identical to your picture