Beneath the flagstone...

Paul Iddon

Lifted a flagstone in the garden today to see what lay beneath in that dark hidden world... The flagstone is resting on the small white stones in the garden that we run the car onto as part of the drive, so these creatures live in the spaces between...


Well, there was a centipede type creature, not a shiny hard brown cased one, but the soft brown many-legged variety - maybe an immmature one, I dunno... It was too quick to capture a fully in focus image, so I got as good a headshot as I could manage.

And you know when you are gardening and you move soil around and something very tiny and very quick leaps or "springs" about 2 inches across the ground? Well, I think they are called "Springtails". So I think the second image is one of them...


Hope your skin doesn't start crawling when you see these creatures....










Paul.

Skippy

Paul Iddon wrote:

Lifted a flagstone in the garden today to see what lay beneath in that dark hidden world... The flagstone is resting on the small white stones in the garden that we run the car onto as part of the drive, so these creatures live in the spaces between...

Well, there was a centipede type creature, not a shiny hard brown cased one, but the soft brown many-legged variety - maybe an immmature one, I dunno... It was too quick to capture a fully in focus image, so I got as good a headshot as I could manage.

And you know when you are gardening and you move soil around and something very tiny and very quick leaps or "springs" about 2 inches across the ground? Well, I think they are called "Springtails". So I think the second image is one of them...

Hope your skin doesn't start crawling when you see these creatures....

Paul.

Doesn't look like a Springtail? maybe Brian knows what it is ?
I like the second shot, it's a hairy little fella ... Skippy
.

Paul Iddon

Over to Brian then.

He'll have them in his soil too!


Paul.

canon400d

Paul Iddon wrote:

Over to Brian then.

He'll have them in his soil too!


Paul.

I am certainly no expert Paul but I would say that first shot is a woodlice. I have no idea what the second one is.
I will put money on it Brian will know.
Regards
Bob

Paul Iddon

Nah - its deffo not a woodlice. Long thin body like a centipede.

No.2, well still not sure.

Paul.

canon400d

Paul Iddon wrote:

Nah - its deffo not a woodlice. Long thin body like a centipede.

No.2, well still not sure.

Paul.

Mmmmm Paul, to me it has the head of a wood lice or slatey back as a lot of people call them. I would agree with you looking at the length of it. The scales across the back are identicle to a wood lice. I just can't wait for Brian to put us both out of our misery.
Regards
Bob

Lord Vetinari

Good captures Paul esp #2
Not sure about #1 as the others have said the head looks more like woodlouse but think they only have around 10 legs on each side- if it had more than that and was longer suspect you mat be right about the centipede.
#2 is a springtail the largest species in the UK -Orchesella villosa.

Might be worth joining here http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/ and asking about #1- only problem is they make it a rule that you have to upload a pic to their gallery and not externally link it.

Brian V.

Paul Iddon

Thanks for the ID Brian.

Here is the centipede full view (didn't use cos the head isn't in focus - it was always walking off!)





Paul.