Erm, are these baby leeches in my garden. Caution, pics!

[dun1urkin]

So I was just out in the back garden, and saw what looks like (thanks, google) baby leeches.
I’ve not got a pond. The neighbours haven’t got a pond. Are these indeed baby leeches, and what the fuck are they doing in my garden? There is a paw print from a large cat who recently had an incident with emulsion for scale.
If these aren’t leeches, what on earth are they??? Should I be doing anything other than saying ‘eurgh’?

They do look very much like leeches but I’m very interested in how they are there with no water around. That’s the stuff of my nightmares!

Are they flat earthworms? If so, you need to destroy them because they are not native to the UK.

Well, it’s been raining a lot, but still not ok in my book.
Where have they come from???
Am I ever going to be able to let the cats out again??? Omigod imagine if I found a leech on one of the cats (not envy)

Or they could be baby eels? Take a closer pic and video of movement if you can!

Could be immature black millipede, or New Guinea flat worm (less likely as only just started invading U.K.)

Article on New Guinea flatworm
inews.co.uk/news/britain-invasive-flatworm-insects-invertebrates-potted-plants-overseas-buglife-422561

Actually no, I think they are definitely invasive flatworms. Brought to surface by rain. Kill with gay abandon! www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=975

@Haggisfish3 not baby eels, I’m almost certain of that. Their movement is very, erm, leechy.

@TroubleInSnowland I’d never heard of flat earthworms, so googled them, too. RHS website says there’s no point killing them, but if they are, then RIP my poor normal worms

Maybe I’ll go and chuck some salt on them anyway

Leeches lift their heads up (I always thought to sniff out blood, but I might have made that bit up!) How are they moving?

Ok, I’ve been back out. There are many. Many. They look a bit skinnier at the front end.
I did a close up on one of them on a sleeper. This one is about 4 cm long. Most of them are smaller than this, but to be fair they do look kind of stretchy.
Click away now if you don’t want bad dreams

Lovely

Oh that didn’t post. Trying again

Woah there! New Guinea Flat Worms have just STARTED invading the UK? 😱

How weird!

Ew ew ew. Fucking douse them in the saltiest of salts NOW.

In the interests of science I went out a third time and flipped one over. It’s got a pale underneath.
Fuck it. I’m going out with a boiling kettle now.

Baby slugs?

Eeeeeeeereeeeh

Urghhhhhhhhhh SHUDDER

Not leeches
Poss flatworms

😱 How many are there?

[quote Haggisfish3]Actually no, I think they are definitely invasive flatworms. Brought to surface by rain. Kill with gay abandon! www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=975[/quote]
There are native flatworm species before you annihilate them

https://www.record-lrc.co.uk/Downloads/5-2005%20-%20jones%20-%20british%20land%20flatworms[16012014].pdf

I bet it was President Obama's crowning achievement to have one of those horrors named after him

Enough to put you off gardening!

Don't fucking scald a creature to death

Jesus Christ. Just leave them alone.