hi
I have just started to dig my allotment over for the first time today. From what I have been told by my neighbours, it was dig over not last year but the one before. Then several inch of manure was put on, then nothing until I took over.
Since I have had it (5 month) I have had it covered with plastic sheeting.
Today I started to dig it over and remove any weeds. After only several feet I started coming across patches of maggot like grubs, each patch must have contained 50 - 100 grubs. (sorry I have no pictures but I did not take my camera today) The grubs were a dirty white colour with a dark brown / black head and about 1/2 an inch long. They seemed to be in the manure layer on top of the soil.
Has anybody got any idea what these maggot / grubs will be (by the way they were alive and moving)
hope you can help
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/b.gent1/grubs.jpg)
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/b.gent1/grubs2.jpg)
cheers
Tony
Could be wireworm - like this?
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/wireworm.htm
Sound like Vine Weevil? Have a look;http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/insects.htm#The%20Enemy
:o These are like what I have found in my lottie soil deep down after digging, I've been stabbing them wiv me fork :P
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lawnpro-kc.com/lp/jpeg/bugs/grubs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lawnpro-kc.com/lp/grub.html&h=182&w=192&sz=9&tbnid=jWGhMBUiBBM-QM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=98&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhite%2Bfat%2Bgrubs%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN (http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lawnpro-kc.com/lp/jpeg/bugs/grubs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lawnpro-kc.com/lp/grub.html&h=182&w=192&sz=9&tbnid=jWGhMBUiBBM-QM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=98&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhite%2Bfat%2Bgrubs%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN)
They sound like chafer grubs. They live under grassed areas usually and eat the roots. Don't knowenough about them to tell you what damage they could do in a lotty, but I would try and get rid of anyway.
Hi Roy,
Have you got "Bush Tucker" grubs in your garden, or are you stabbing them wiv a dinner fork, sound a bit scary if they are big enough to stick with a garden fork!
Brian
I saw them in my pot of lily once. I couldn't bring myself to squash it so left it in a visible place for birds.
Whenever I see grubs I just leave them exposed. Usually birds come and eat it for me! :D
Quote from: Gardenantics on February 26, 2006, 10:49:52
Hi Roy,
Have you got "Bush Tucker" grubs in your garden, or are you stabbing them wiv a dinner fork, sound a bit scary if they are big enough to stick with a garden fork!
Brian
Very close to "Bush Tucker" Grubs Brian ;D the largest being the thickness of a pencil :o and I def used mi garden fork as I wanted to burst em good and not just p
rick em :P ;D
Ha ha-Bush Tucker grubs-and there was me thinking once I would now be living in Oz,. Leave the soil exposed for a couple of days and let the birds do the work for you
Not Vine weevil anyway! My guess is the reason they are maggot like is because they ARE maggots. They don't look hard enough for wire worms, so relax, and give the local robin a slap up meal.
Brian
They're definitely maggots, ie fly larvae. The interesting bit is, what sort of fly, and what are they feeding on. Whatever it is, lets hope they won't be after your veg.
Erm, I think that in the bottom picture are wireworms (click beetle larvae), and in the top picture are leatherjackets (crane fly larvae).
Both pictures are the same maggot / grubs. The top pic show were I found them, in between the soil and manure. The bottom pic are the same maggots taken out and put on to plastic sheet for another pic.
I do hope they are nothing to worry about. There are lots and lots of these all over my plot in patches.
Just had another thought these critter are no larger than maggots that you buy for fishing ie 7 to 10 mm long and no thicker than cooked spaghetti.
Cheers
Tony
I would say leatherjackets.
Look at this link for a photo to match.
http://www.greengardener.co.uk/leatherj.htm
They definately look like maggots. Cranefly larvae leather jackets) are brown. Since maggots generally feed on decaying flesh, the main question is what is in your plot that they are feeding on. :o
They are definitely NOT crane fly larvae (leather jackets) as they are the wrong colour and the segment pattern and thickness of skin is different. I have thousands of them under my grass and find them everytime I take off turves to make new flower beds. I pick them out and feed them to the chickens.
They look like maggots to me as many others have said. Are you sure there isn't a dead body somewhere in your allotment Tony? :o :o :o
If they're found between the soil and manure, there's a good chance that they're feeding on the manure. Is it fresh?
From what I have been told by my neighbour the last person to have my lottie cleared the plot by digging it over. Then applied a covering of manure approx a few inches deep and then left the plot and did nothing to it. This was not last year but the one before. I have had the plot for approx 5 month and have not done a lot to it. the only thing that has been done it the council came in and strimmed the whole thing and then I covered it in black plastic.
hope this helps
I have not seen no sign of anything dead or rotting (flesh wise) and there are no strange smells of rotting flesh?
As can be seen from pic one they seem to be between the soil and a layer of manure.
cheers
Tony
sorry forgot to say
Is there any service where I could take some of these critter to so they could be identified. Not sure where?
Cheers
Tony
Either a university entomology department, a natural history museum, or somewhere they do research on agricultural pests. your profile says you're in Bolton, and I don't know the area at all.
Take some to your local fishing tackle shop, get an ID, and sell them!
Brian
Quote from: antdg on February 26, 2006, 18:32:44
Both pictures are the same maggot / grubs. ...
Ah, well the ones in the top pic are mucky then? The pics are a bit hard to see, but I'd think the bottom pic does show wireworms.
This is from University of California website and Blackthorn Arable website, they may be of help:
Wireworms have very distinct legs, and I don't see any legs on the maggots in the pictures, and they show a characteristic tapering to the body. My vote is still for fly maggots.
Look at this link; http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/pest/calliphoridae.htm
Brian
Yes, I guess if they haven't got three pairs of little legs (think its 3) behind the head, then it can't be wireworm.
Your District Council Environmental Health Department may be able to help with identification Tony. I rang them after finding thousand of dead insects under some very old wallpaper that I was stripping off. A girl came out to take a sample and then rang me later to say they were psocids (book lice). There was no charge.
About 1/2" long, creamy white with a dark brown head and tend to be in a 'C' shape when uncovered. Look closer, see if they have 3 pairs of tiny legs at the front end. If all that is right, then I'd go for chafer grubs. Quite common in uncultivated land and a pest you don't want. Not usual to find them in 'colonies' tho.
Hi all
I contacted my local museum today and spoke to Keeper of Entomology. I am hoping to take some samples down over the next week or two (due to holidays the person I want to speak to is on leave). What I was told though are these grubs could be moth larvae but it is very difficult to ID them in there larvae stage.
Thanks
Tony
Had exactly the same grub after i left a bin full of rotting kitchen waste on my patio, didnt realise i had them till i drained all the rainwater off!!!! the birds had a field day, i dont think they are harmless to the garden, stick them on the birdtable!!!
Mm, I'd agree they look a bit wireworm-y. Good food for any pet lizards around, assuming they're organic! (Mine loves vine weevil larvae, too. :D )
Presume birds would love them too.
Melanie
Hi Tony
These look like Darkling Beetle (mealworm) Larvae they are a natural composter and eat feces this is just a guess as this time of year is when they start to emerge as adult beetles.
I would suggest just turning the manure layer and let the birds have a good nosh they'll get rid of the Larvae for you.
Regards
Gordon
I will add my vote for fly maggots, although what sort ??. They are typical of maggots and nothing like wireworm, chaffer or vine weevil larvae.
Excuse my ignorance and/or stupidity but exactly where are these pictures?
They might be cockchafer grubs which are related to the dung beetle, possibly from the manure that was spread by the previous plot holder. You might want to check out this link
http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/chafer.htm
Maude
Quote from: Sprout on March 14, 2006, 12:44:14
Excuse my ignorance and/or stupidity but exactly where are these pictures?
They are on page 1 of this thread in the first post started on 25th February by Antdg.
Ah I see them now. When I looked at lunchtime on my PC at work, the photos didn't download. They have now at home. The bottom ones look like wireworms to me (cos I've gottem too) although the top ones look like fly maggots as already stated.