NFR (I think): what are these things

[tkww]

A small pool of water (maybe a few cups) formed in my fire pit cover after some recent rains. These are floating and occasionally twitching around. One large mass with a bunch of singles or small groups in the rest of the pool. This clump is <1" long. Each one seems to be 1-2mm long and maybe .5 mm wide. Anybody have any idea what they are?

 

[krusty]

According to google....Springtails

 

[wanderingrichard]

Mosquito larvae ?

 

[Zak]

Tardigrades. Mosquito larvae is squiggly like flipping little chironomids.

 

[Matt B]

Tardigrades.

Probably not unless tkww has a real fancy camera. Here’s a web image of a tardigrade at 40X magnification.

 

[Matt B]

Tardigrades. Mosquito larvae is squiggly like flipping little chironomids.

You were kidding weren’t you. Sometimes I’m slow.

 

[Zak]

Probably not unless tkww has a real fancy camera. Here’s a web image of a tardigrade at 40X magnification.

View attachment 138258

 

[Zak]

Concur re springtails:

Springtail - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Matt B]

View attachment 138260

Zak whips out his SEM and Pantone compatible color editing software.

 

[Zak]

Zak whips out his SEM and Pantone compatible color editing software.

I don't know what that is! Pantone is colors, right?

 

[Zak]

I don't know what that is! Pantone is colors, right?

Scanning electron microscope=SEM?

 

[Zak]

You were kidding weren’t you. Sometimes I’m slow.

To be fair it wasn't much of a joke. I should've gone with Atlantic salmon.

 

[wanderingrichard]

You were kidding weren’t you. Sometimes I’m slow.

Yeah. I was being flippant. Zak took it and ran with it.. does one leg feel longer ?

Though, tardigrades... damn..

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

View attachment 138260

Thanks. Now I won't sleep for a week.

Fucking terrifying.

 

[wanderingrichard]

@ Zak
Wait til he sees the space tardigrades in early Star Trek Discovery episodes...

 

[GAT]

To be fair it wasn't much of a joke. I should've gone with Atlantic salmon.

That's what I would have said