I found this in my yard while digging up a few inches of soil. Hoping it's OK for our yard b/c I found quite a few. I put some in the compost just in case it wasn't great for the yard, but I have a few out to put back when I hear what they are.
Thanks for your help!
Peace,
Carrie Anne
The Green Warrior Bunny
These are larvae of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. Some, such as Japanese beetles and May beetles/June bugs (known collectively as 'white grubs') can be serious turf pests as they eat the roots of grasses just below the soil surface. In severe infestations, a thin layer of sod can be rolled up almost like a carpet because all the roots have been severed.
Make great fish bait.
thanks, you guys! i found another site detailing more info about white grubs. i think i have enough, but maybe not a huge problem. i will keep my eyes peeled for them now though, and perhaps will store some in plastic vented containers and sell (cheap!) as fish bait for folks. I live in the city, bike, and have no plans on catching (and releasing) a mercury-laden, mutated carcinogenic fish - the poor things.
Or would it be too mean to just put them in shallow dishes perched on top of my picket fence for the birds to eat? maybe i should do that.
i think i'm starting to see traces of a mole (small circular indentations in my mulch), but so far plants are doing pretty well. i have lots of birds visiting, and i learned that watering a lot can help make sure the plants still do ok even if the roots are getting damaged from these guys.
not that it's related, but I think I'm going to pick up some more ladybugs this year, since i've seen just one or two coming back to the yard, and want to head off any aphid-problems before that starts.
thanks again!
peace,
carrie anne
Carrie Ann, Moles eat grubs among other things, so you might want to leave the grubs in the ground so the moles eat them instead of your plant roots.
