Have I knackered my compost heap? - Caterpillars/Eggs.

[Ashaman42]

So yesterday (Sunday) I finally got round to emptying some of my pots from last years growing to salvage the pots and the pebbles used in the bottom.

Whilst breaking up the root ball of one of the pots to free the pebbles I found a bunch of what I believe to be caterpillar eggs (similar size to the beads in a bean bag but more translucent than pure white) and a big white creature that was probably a caterpillar but not sure as being a big wimp I immediately dumped the whole mass in my compost bin.

I guess I thought that they would compost down but my coworker informed me today that they won't and will just appear to eat whatever I plant in the compost.

I've been out and pulled the root ball out and most of the eggs that had fallen out appeared to be (ironically) on an egg box which I've binned.

But I can't be certain I got all of them (and thinking about it now having drowned the root ball in a bucket I'm not sure if the big caterpillar was in it or not).

Is my compost ruined? Will a few eggs scupper me? Is there anything I can do? So far I've given the heap a good dousing with water as whilst this may leach some nutrients out I figured it might drown whoever's left.

[alldigging]

Slug eggs maybe?
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sl...w=1333&bih=665

[rustylady]

Stop panicking. The eggs would have been slug or snail eggs, and they won't harm your compost. In fact they are better in the compost heap than out on the plot munching your salads and other crops. Composting is basically reducing vegetable matter into humus, and slugs and snails help with this process.

BTW, caterpillars don't lay eggs - butterflies and moths do and these are usually on the underside of leaves. Very small and in clusters. These hatch into caterpillars which may eat your veggies.

[veggiechicken]

I often find clusters of eggs in old pots - slug I think. Don[t worry about them, a few more won[t make much difference. The big white creature may have been a slug body?

[Currysniffa]

I found what I think are snail eggs this weekend while lifting my potatoes.

[Jamesy_uk]

Yarrr thats slug eggs, little gits.

[Ashaman42]

Stop panicking.

That was a bit of a panic wasn't it? Bad day at work and frazzled brain. Panic over at any rate

Yeah, I meant eggs that would hatch into caterpillars rather than eggs laid by them but wasn't as clear as I should have been.

A google image search of both slug and caterpillar eggs gives similar results to what I found but the size and location indicates slugs so shant worry anymore.

Cheers all.

[Alison]

Also, even if they had been what you thought, it wouldn't have mattered as they don't sit in egg state for ever and would have either hatched in your compost or died before you got chance to use the compost.

[Ashaman42]

I was thinking that might be the case but decided better to hoik them out before it rained and then find it would have been fine to leave them rather than leave them and find I shouldn't have.

[chris]

I find them fun to pop.

[Two_Sheds]

I found a bunch of what I believe to be caterpillar eggs

I know you've got your answer now, but if anyone else is panicking about what certain eggs might be: caterpillars don't live in soil, they live on plants, on leaves.

The other commonly found eggs that panic people are the fat bits of rice you find in soil or compost heaps (ant eggs: very tasty food for goldfish )

[Florence Fennel]

I find them fun to pop.

This I like very much Chris

[chris]

It's like bubble wrap, they make a satisfying "pop"

[alldigging]

Butterflies laid eggs on my blue washing line two years running. Suspect they won't be doing so this year though it's just too wet.

[roitelet]

Found some eggs of the edible snail the other day. They are HUGE, like small ball bearings and the pop was loud and satisfying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1