What's this beastie??

I've just been digging on the plot and have been turning up a lot of one particular beastie. Its a centipede like thing about 25mm/1 inch long, orangey yellow in colour with lots of legs down its length. Its living in the soil not on the top.

I say centipede like - its body is very thin - like a piece of cotton with legs. when you disturb it it looks as though it is trying to tie itself in knots.

Is it a good or bad beastie? The robin likes them! 

Regards, WG

I think I can envisage what you have and I've always thought that it is carniverous and a friend to the gardener.   :happy:   Cheers,    Tony.

Plenty of them up here too (they're obviously well 'ard!) 

Often confused with the spotted snake millipede because it doesn't fit most people's idea of what centipedes look like (and probably gets squashed as a result - shame, although even the spotted snake millipede isn't that much of a pest on most crops.)

http://www.kendalluk.com/centip.htm

Could it be a wireworm that you're talking about. They like spuds!

Geophilus carpophagus (but you can call him Phil for short!)  

He lives in the soil, and eats all sorts of soil bugs (including slugs  :happy:), and should be regarded as your friend (unless you happen to be a baby earthworm!)  

"Geophilus carpophagus (but you can call him Phil for short!)"

Ha ha ha ha ha !

Thanks all,

Thats good news cos I've got loads of them. 

Regards,

WG

Thanks all,

Thats good news cos I've got loads of them. 

Sounds like you've got Geoff, Phil and Gus - hope they've got some female company otherwise they might decide to desert you!