Mystery Spheres

RodTungsten

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562
Spotted these while clearing our gutters ( normally done in the dark and under deluges). Originally in strings like pearls among the leaf litter. Spinning Jenny (Sycamore seed) for scale and no obvious internal structure. Possibly eggs but of what?
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mowlas

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Putting my Sherlock Holmes hat on... by a sequence of deduction, we can perhaps say the following:
  1. How could they have ended up in stringed groups?
  2. Are there any man-made materials above the height of the gutters that could have eroded in a sequential form so as to form strings?
  3. If not to 2, then has to be organic - plant or animal
  4. If your gutters are near trees or other plants, then they must be from a plant.
  5. If your gutters are NOT near trees or other plants, then they must be from an animal.
So, @RodTungsten, can you answer 2 and 4 to continue the game of deduction?
 
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Scaf

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I would say they are the bloated water filled granules that people put in hanging baskets and tubs to retain water.
Eaten by birds and then passing through ……


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Harry

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1,149
I think it is some sort of fungus that was growing on the leaves sitting in the gutter.
 

Harry

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This has been bugging me, so I have done some research. If certain types of fungi are grown under water, they can form spherical pellets. That would account for perhaps why they are in strings. Biotechnological companies use this form of submerged fungi growth in certain drug manufacturing situations.
I’ve had 2 night shifts with my father in hospital in acute care and there are long hours to fill!
 

RodTungsten

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562
Best suggestion so far is that they are slug eggs. Sycamore is a red herring size comparator.

Unfortunately it has p*ssed down today so they’re in our soak away - I was going to incubate them to see what popped out.
 

mowlas

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Best suggestion so far is that they are slug eggs. Sycamore is a red herring size comparator.

Unfortunately it has p*ssed down today so they’re in our soak away - I was going to incubate them to see what popped out.
Yes, I agree with @Oneball the slugs eggs are the most likely candidate. Specifically the leopard slug's eggs:


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Harry

Member
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1,149
Spotted these while clearing our gutters ( normally done in the dark and under deluges). Originally in strings like pearls among the leaf litter. Spinning Jenny (Sycamore seed) for scale and no obvious internal structure. Possibly eggs but of what?
View attachment 108542
I saw this and thought of you!
Sadly, it is a Strep A infection under the microscope, but it reminded me of your Leopard slug eggs!
F5861FA5-0366-4FC0-ABC1-FDAED76C19C1.jpeg