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hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham
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 Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:10 am Post subject: slow worm or just big worm? |
 
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I seem to have some huge worms in my allotment - I never seem to have my camera when I dig them up. Do slow worms have any distinguishing features other than being BIG. These worms are at least 1 1/2 cm wide and about 15cm long... |
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judith
Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:14 am Post subject: |
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Slow worms are scaly, have eyes and mouth - like a lizard with no legs. I don't think you could confuse one with an earthworm. My Mum used to have a slow worm living in her compost bin! |
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Bugs
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10731
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:15 am Post subject: |
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They're smooth and dry, not really like a worm at all, most people would say "snake" when they see one for the first time.
And you can see their eyes very, very clearly - they're beautiful. They tend to be a coppery pink colour although some apparently can be blue or heavily spotted, I've never seen one like this.
But they're not necessarily big, as they take a few years to reach adult size, so you'll often come across babies as little as a few centimetres long. I think if you think these things are worms, they probably are. They're not kind of flattish and wide are they? I think flatworms are quite big and they're not good...aliens (NZ?) but I can't remember what they actually do.
You do get some *huge* earthworms though so I wouldn't rule them out. |
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hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:16 am Post subject: |
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 oh!
didn't realise they had eyes etc!
Must just have some gigantic worms then!
Cheers guys
H |
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hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:19 am Post subject: |
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| Bugs wrote: |
e. They're not kind of flattish and wide are they? I think flatworms are quite big and they're not good...aliens (NZ?) but I can't remember what they actually do.
You do get some *huge* earthworms though so I wouldn't rule them out. |
aaah I do remember them having quite flat heads - I'm going to have to go on a worm hunt after work now! I'll take my camera..... |
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ButteryHOLsomeness
Joined: 03 Apr 2005
Posts: 770
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:20 am Post subject: |
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| hils wrote: |
oh!
didn't realise they had eyes etc!
Must just have some gigantic worms then!
Cheers guys
H |
you may have nightcrawlers (that's what they're called in the states, may have a different name here)
nightcrawlers are often cut up and used as bait when fishing. they are very plump, very long worms... |
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hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:23 am Post subject: |
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I hope they are nightcrawlers (people get arrested in Nottingham for that btw!) |
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ButteryHOLsomeness
Joined: 03 Apr 2005
Posts: 770
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| hils wrote: |
| I hope they are nightcrawlers (people get arrested in Nottingham for that btw!) |
i thought that was kerbcrawlers 
guess they're called something else here  |
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hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 9:33 am Post subject: |
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They're a strange breed here (I'm not a native!)
They call horses bobbo's??? eh? and they have a passion for shooting each other  |
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cab
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| hils wrote: |
aaah I do remember them having quite flat heads - I'm going to have to go on a worm hunt after work now! I'll take my camera..... |
The heads are kind of flat and arrow shaped. Nasty, nasty little blighters if you're an earthworm. |
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gavin
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Location: Leeds, W Yorks
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Bugs
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10731
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 11:22 am Post subject: |
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That's a good site Gavin, is it yours? We should have it in the weblinks. |
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hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for that gavin - def not a flatworm!
Must just be really big earth worms. I guess thats a good thing on my awful clay soil.  |
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Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 6848
Location: Staffordshire
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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If they got eyes they aint earthworms!
I wouldn't use them for fishing bait either! |
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cab
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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| hils wrote: |
Thanks for that gavin - def not a flatworm!
Must just be really big earth worms. I guess thats a good thing on my awful clay soil. |
Awful clay soil... Nottingham...
Chillwell? |
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