Skip to main content
Today is National Trails Day!
Close

Wildlife Spotting

Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

46.3393, -95.6436

Field Notes

Description:

A lake worm, leech or blood sucker of some kind found on a lily pad on Lake Emma near the observation dock in the park. **Are these technically even Arthropods?

Habitat:

Fresh water lakes, streams and creeks

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)
JanelleL.Streed
ForestDragon-Love you name, btw; Thank you! No, I don't. I probably should have tried rolling it over or something but it was far enough off the dock I couldn't reach it...plus I try to not touch whenever possible for fear of hurting creatures in any way. I have seen them before on lily pads in this area so I'll have to look again this summer and see if I can get more/better images of them. I've never seen more than one or two at a time but birds do frequently use the dock to hunt from so either one is a possibility. Thank you for taking the time to help me id it! :-)
ForestDragon
Hi Janelle, I just ran across this interesting spotting. This is an arthropod larva of some sort. It has a head and front legs that I can see in your pictures. Leeches have neither legs nor heads(and they would be put in the "Other" category for future reference). Possibly a potential predator dropped it there or it walked across the water plants. I am still searching to find out what it is beyond that. Do you have any other views of this larva?

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Great Lakes Monitoring
Mission
Minnesota Wildlife (Animals)
Mission
Critters of the Midwest

Tags

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 17, 2012

Community Sponsor

Butterfly
Become a Community Sponsor and Help Grow our Global Movement!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Butterflies icon
Become a Community Sponsor

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon

Nature & Conservation Organizations

Brands & Mission-Focused Companies