leeches

[dogs32]

Ive got massive leeches in my garden.It started when i dug out my pond many years ago.

I'm completely paranoid of them.

It was when I broke an old clay drainage pipe 4 foot down 7 years ago.

Since then Ive been trying to identify these ugly things.

You have to dig about 1 foot to 2 foot down to find them.

When not expanded they are about 2 inches...when expanded they are about 6 to 7 inches length...as thick as my finger..I'm completely paranoid these days to do prop[er gardening.

Are there any farmers out there or any one who can tell me how to KILL THEM...they are not in my pond...I don't think they are medicinal ones..possible the horse leech..any advice anyone

some are red..and some are green

I know its a long shot probably no one on here knows...

[Hiya]

Are they in the soil then if they are not in the pond?

I remember this one time I was fishing in this loch in Sutherland miles from anywhere and I was out in the water in my waders and I looked down and saw this massive leech shimying up the side. A man has never moved so fast in water since Eric the fish.

[dogs32]

lol..yea i kNOW the feeling..they are in the soil..1..2 foot down..not in pond..came out of old farmers drainage pipe 4 foot down..I hear sheep dip can eradicate them..but it is highly dangerous stuff

[Hiya]

They might be flatworms, they look anything like these http://nzbiodiversity.com/families/Geoplan...noplaninae.html

[Just Before Dawn]

They certainly are unlikely to be medicinal leech - medicinal leech is one of our rarest invertebrates now, with only a few sites left for them in the country (cumbria and west wales, Kent and west Scotland being the main population centres) - they're protected by Schedule 5 of the wildlife and countryside act. I've surveyed for them. Best way to do it? Paddle about in the shallow ponds they like to live in with your shoes and socks off and prepare to run! They like open, warm, shallow ponds and lakes, so most unlikely to live in deep water or underground culverts or pipes. They're still used in medicine (for complex microsurgery) so occasionally there are unofficial releases.

It might be that what your finding isn't leeches (which are aquatic species rather than soil dwellers) but nematodes or other worms. The new zealand flatworm can look alarmingly like a big leech, but it eats eartworms. It could also conceivably be a horse leech, but these also eat inverts and don't suck blood and usually they live in ponds rather than soil.

Be careful about using broad-spectrum insecticides, even in your garden. Aside from killing your earthworm populations (which would be a catastrophe for your garden), if it leaches (ha!) into the water supply, even if it's just surface water dainage, you could get a nasty and expensive visit from the Environment Agency. You'd also have to use a huge amount of it to stand any chance of killing sub-soil invertebrates and there'd be no certainty you'd get 'em all. You need moles!!

Ooops - beaten to it by Hiya!

[dogs32]

They might be flatworms, they look anything like these http://nzbiodiversity.com/families/Geoplan...noplaninae.html

Australopacifica cf-agricola...sort of but not same colour

[Hiya]

Australopacifica cf-agricola...sort of but not same colour

You picked out the one that looks most like a leech!

[dogs32]

They certainly are unlikely to be medicinal leech - medicinal leech is one of our rarest invertebrates now, with only a few sites left for them in the country (cumbria and west wales, Kent and west Scotland being the main population centres) - they're protected by Schedule 5 of the wildlife and countryside act. I've surveyed for them. Best way to do it? Paddle about in the shallow ponds they like to live in with your shoes and socks off and prepare to run! They like open, warm, shallow ponds and lakes, so most unlikely to live in deep water or underground culverts or pipes. They're still used in medicine (for complex microsurgery) so occasionally there are unofficial releases.

It might be that what your finding isn't leeches (which are aquatic species rather than soil dwellers) but nematodes or other worms. The new zealand flatworm can look alarmingly like a big leech, but it eats eartworms. It could also conceivably be a horse leech, but these also eat inverts and don't suck blood and usually they live in ponds rather than soil.

Be careful about using broad-spectrum insecticides, even in your garden. Aside from killing your earthworm populations (which would be a catastrophe for your garden), if it leaches (ha!) into the water supply, even if it's just surface water dainage, you could get a nasty and expensive visit from the Environment Agency. You'd also have to use a huge amount of it to stand any chance of killing sub-soil invertebrates and there'd be no certainty you'd get 'em all. You need moles!!

Ooops - beaten to it by Hiya!

thanks realy interesting.....I caught one a few years ago and took down to a pond garden place.The guy

there said he had never seen anything like it.

Told me to take it to Bristol Uni..But I didnt.

I think its leeches as they have probacuis on either end.(sorry dont how to spell that word)....some are lime green....some are deep pink.

over all I feel ill.

I realy dont wont top start digging for them anymore.

They were never in my garden until I broke that old clay pipe 4ft down.

I did loads of digging before that and never seen one in the 10 yrs....

I also cant find a good pic on the net to say that is the one.

They are massive..as thick a my little finger...6..7 inches long..with suckers..

peeved off Dont like gardening myuch anymore.

I Ve drained my pond twice this year..22foot by 12 foot.Looking for them no sign..only soil..wet clay conditions

I dont reckon they are flat worms...but the above looks similiar..but the colour wrong

one thing I did notice is that when the thing in a water jar..it died later of lack of air or drowning

I dont wont to take them to the Environment Agency because they will think its my pond......It isnt

I WILL TAKE A PHOTO SOMETIME AND POST IT...BUT GIVE ME TIME AS I REALY HATE DIGGING FOR THEM

then if anyone can identify them would be over the moon....but getting rid of them is the MAIN PROBLEM....the day they get into my KOi pond is the day I move

[blitzen]

My local loch (Lochgelly) used to be famous for medicinal leeches. Why not try ordinary household salt? it works wonders with snails which are not unlike the leech.

Blitzen.

[dogs32]

My local loch (Lochgelly) used to be famous for medicinal leeches. Why not try ordinary household salt? it works wonders with snails which are not unlike the leech.

Blitzen.

Hi Blitz...Yea but I would have to use gallons and gallons...as these live about 1 ..2ft down...I wish I could just put molten lava on the garden for a few days..Heat up the ground...I dont think I will be able to get rid of them in truth..But I will post one up when Im brave...as I have a serous phobia of them

Hope fully within the next 2 weeks of plucking up courage to dig for them

[M'Lady]

Forgive me dogs, but I'm no gardener... why do you need to dig 1-2 feet down for gardening purposes?

Surely the simplest thing would be not to dig that far down in future?

(I'm going to have the doctor's scene from Blackadder 2 (the episode called Bells) going through my head all afternoon now... "I can strongly recommend a... course of leeches...")

[dogs32]

Forgive me dogs, but I'm no gardener... why do you need to dig 1-2 feet down for gardening purposes?

Surely the simplest thing would be not to dig that far down in future?

(I'm going to have the doctor's scene from Blackadder 2 (the episode called Bells) going through my head all afternoon now... "I can strongly recommend a... course of leeches...")

LOL....like tree planting...bush planting..5foot ect without root ball.and other things Ive done to cultivate the land as this house is only 15 yrs old...So its very clay here.

And I don't dig down much anymore...upload pic..in next week or so..Just to see if anyone can identify it..I have to pluck up courage as I'm really paranoid of them(phobia).

Probably because I watched a film many yrs ago called Squirm..and I had nightmares of worm things when I was a small child.Not paranoid about most thing like snakes,spiders ect...But these I am

[Just Before Dawn]

LOL....like tree planting...bush planting..5foot ect without root ball.and other things Ive done to cultivate the land as this house is only 15 yrs old...So its very clay here.

And I don't dig down much anymore...upload pic..in next week or so..Just to see if anyone can identify it..I have to pluck up courage as I'm really paranoid of them(phobia).

Probably because I watched a film many yrs ago called Squirm..and I had nightmares of worm things when I was a small child.Not paranoid about most thing like snakes,spiders ect...But these I am

Another victim of the film Squirm eh?

This gets more and more curious - suckers on either end is a classic leech sign, however as all leeches are aquatic, it certainly shouldn't have drown. Post a pic up when you pluck the courage up to find one of the little buggers, and I'll pass it on to a colleague of mine who works professionally identifying aquatic invertebrates.

[dogs32]

Another victim of the film Squirm eh?

This gets more and more curious - suckers on either end is a classic leech sign, however as all leeches are aquatic, it certainly shouldn't have drown. Post a pic up when you pluck the courage up to find one of the little buggers, and I'll pass it on to a colleague of mine who works professionally identifying aquatic invertebrates.

Brilliant thanks......yea not in pond...check evey year as I have expensive Japanese Koi..my pets....In fact since the discovery I ve let the garden go realy..its always on my mind when I put my hand into the soil.

Twice this year I emptied the pond...It takes all day to fill it back up..about 9,000 gallons of water.

And i have never seen one.

A guy that works in a Aquatic place for 25 years said he as never sen one before....So the mystery of Squirm haunts me.

Great if you can find out....

Ive just stopped smoking so give me a few days or next week and I will dig around..without the stress to smoke..these freak me out..cheers.

ps i have looked over the years over the net but cant 100% say I have found a pic...Some are green or pink.

If they are medicinal I will sell them to the local hospital

[Hiya]

if you didn't live so far away I'd dig one up just to get a look at one!

[dogs32]

if you didn't live so far away I'd dig one up just to get a look at one!

lol....that interested..and I hate seeing them..wait until I post pic within 7 days

[Rustynailer]

I can't wait to see one now, the suspense is killing me

I bet its one of those horrible New Zealand flatworms, they could put our earthworms on the endangered list. Kill them all

Russ

[Hiya]

Aye its killing me too. I don't know what it is going to be, how exciting. GET OUT AND DIG YOUR GARDEN MAN! I'll paypal you a fiver.

[frogesque]

Link has excellent photos and descriptions of flatworms as well as leech and earthworm for comparison.

http://www.kitchengardens.dial.pipex.com/flatworm.htm

NZ Flatworms are 'orrible buggers. First met them when I lived in N. Ireland and they are common in Fife as well as the rest of Central Scotland and N. Egland now. Look under stones, slabs and other damp, dark places. Black polythene held down by bricks makes a good trap and when I find any they get dusted with dry salt - see's 'em off no bother. Egg cases look like shiney black currant but slighly ovoid. A new egg case can contain up to 12 embryos. To give some indication of just how harmfull they are, a garden I work has some large borders (30m x 10m) and I'm lucky if I see any earthworms while digging.

[dogs32]

I can't wait to see one now, the suspense is killing me

I bet its one of those horrible New Zealand flatworms, they could put our earthworms on the endangered list. Kill them all

Russ

cant be Russ...got suckers

Aye its killing me too. I don't know what it is going to be, how exciting. GET OUT AND DIG YOUR GARDEN MAN! I'll paypal you a fiver.

I need more than a fiver

Look i will go out tom OK....And try to find one ..cant promise..I f I do will upload

Link has excellent photos and descriptions of flatworms as well as leech and earthworm for comparison.

http://www.kitchengardens.dial.pipex.com/flatworm.htm

NZ Flatworms are 'orrible buggers. First met them when I lived in N. Ireland and they are common in Fife as well as the rest of Central Scotland and N. Egland now. Look under stones, slabs and other damp, dark places. Black polythene held down by bricks makes a good trap and when I find any they get dusted with dry salt - see's 'em off no bother. Egg cases look like shiny black currant but slighly ovoid. A new egg case can contain up to 12 embryos. To give some indication of just how harmfull they are, a garden I work has some large borders (30m x 10m) and I'm lucky if I see any earthworms while digging.

A listen mate thats prity close...thats a leech inst it...that the closet YET

that might be it....need to find one in garden to confirm

Frogs.....do you have the name for that particular leech..so I can check up

byjove I think it might be it..

If this is it .I promise you its a large ugly creature

[dogs32]

I just wont confirm that is the thing the leech I have...Now I dont need to dig any up to show you..IF anyone knows the Latin name of that particular leech please post..So I can find out more info cheers

And THANKS frogs

[Anti-Mild]

Another victim of the film Squirm eh?

Don't watch Slither either <shudder>!