Nature Discoveries: Glass Snails, Rare Fungi and Autumn Bird Migration

Nature enthusiasts in the Netherlands submitted remarkable seasonal discoveries on October 11, 2026, featuring tiny glass snails, vibrantly colored grasshoppers, rare damselflies, and unique parasitic fungi, Omroep Brabant reported.

Translucent glass snails found by Mieke van den Hurk

Mieke van den Hurk discovered numerous tiny land snails featuring very thin, glassy, and translucent shells measuring a maximum of six millimeters, according to Omroep Brabant. As it moves, the creature stretches a segment of its soft inner anatomy—termed the mantle—across the shell’s exterior like a tiny jacket. According to Noordbrabant.headliner.nl, these creatures make their homes in both dry and damp environments across deciduous and coniferous woods, grasslands, rock crevices, stone walls, and dune grasses, where they consume decaying vegetation, withered foliage, and dead animal matter. Omroep Brabant reported that their eggs are laid mostly in autumn before the adults die, after which the eggs hatch in the spring. Due to their strong cold-weather resistance, they stay active throughout the winter months, earning them the English moniker winter semi-slugs, whereas many scientists regard their remarkably fragile and thin shells as a living illustration of the evolutionary transition from shelled gastropods to slugs.

Rare grasshoppers and willow emerald damselflies recorded by Marianne Wijten and Harrie Verweijen

This slender insect belongs to the suborder of damselflies within the order of dragonflies, sporting metallic green coloring and widely separated eyes while folding its uniform wings above its body at rest. Noordbrabant.headliner.nl stated that the female bores eggs into the bark of trees or shrubs in September or October, allowing the eggs to overwinter before the larvae drop into water in the spring.

Pine foot fungus discovered by Henk Thiele

While taking a walk through the woods, Henk Thiele stumbled upon a peculiar mushroom, which Omroep Brabant recognized as a maturing pine foot fungus displaying uncommon regeneration characterized by several brand-new fruit bodies sprouting along its outer border. Noordbrabant.headliner.nl noted that fruit bodies undergo a color transformation from golden yellow to velvet brown and eventually dark brown, remaining famous globally for their ability to dye wool and textiles in deep natural tones.

Autumn nature walk scheduled in Maashorst

The excursion sets off from the expansive parking area situated at Erenakkerstraat 5 in Nistelrode, and participants do not need to sign up ahead of time. Event coordinators advise participants to bring binoculars for spotting birds heading toward their warmer seasonal habitats, alongside durable boots or sturdy footwear.