In the Back 40

A little proto-spring cleaning in the Back 40 reveals some early signs of life. Just in time! Some greenery, mostly tenacious sunflowers just popping up, and a little patch of moss. But there were some creepy-crawlies in the mix:

Earth worm. Found under a pot, moved into the compost bin.

I think these are spider egg cases, since I get a lot of sheet-web spiders in these corners, but if you think otherwise let me know.

And now, the crown jewel of the day, found sticking to one of those old sheet webs, this tiny land snail.

This is the fourth species of land snail I’ve discovered in my back yard (more anon). I know, if you’re a gardener, you’re cringing, but I like the little slimeballs. I love the fact they they’ve crawled over all that concrete to get here. And this is so small, but so marvelously formed, spinning out from its center. I think this one is Discus rotundatus, the European disk snail, or round snail, or rotund snail. (Oscar Wilde didn’t say, “Common names are the curse of the scientific classes” but he could have.) The reddish coloring suggest it is so, but let me know if you disagree. D. rotundatus are detritus and fungus feeders, and much too small for a garlic butter sauce.