White worm w/ odd head
Sat, Jan 10, 2009 at 8:50 AM
White worm w/ odd head
Hi. Two of these worms have come off the firewood in the last couple days, here in PA. Just wondering what they are. The picture should provide a lot of info.
Thanks!!
Diane B.
SE Pennsylvania
Flat Headed Borer Grub
Hi Diane,
This is a Flat Headed Borer Grub in the family Buprestidae, known as the Metallic Wood Borers or Jewel Beetles. You can match your photo to one we located on a Forestry Images website or to the images on BugGuide. Many of the adult beetles are quite gorgeous and are sometimes made into jewelry in tropical counties. Sadly, we are not skilled enough to tell you the exact species. Flat Headed Borers often live many years as grubs feeding on wood. We have heard reports of the Golden Buprestid, Buprestis aurulenta, emerging from furniture 50 years after it was built. You can confirm this online in numerous places including a Canadian Forestry site. We have received our own report of an adult Golden Buprestid emerging from an 8 year old pine cutting board. If your firewood is local, you have a different species of Flat Headed Borer as the Golden Buprestid is native to the Pacific Northwest.
Can you identify this grub?
Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 2:53 PM
I found about 10 grubs at the bottom of my compost pile while turning it the other day. At first I thought I saw a shrimp and thought: “We don’t eat shrimp, how’d that get there?” Then I realized there were many more and they were all burrowing away from the light.
The largest was about as big as my thumb but I let it get away as I looked on in stunned amazement. This one pictured is about as thick as my index finger and an inch and a half or so long.
It was difficult to take a picture of the top of it because it wanted arch it’s back and burrow back down into the earth.
Can you help? I’d like to post your response on my blog www.ramshacklesolid.com
Ramshackle Eric
Los Angeles, CA
Crawly-Back
Hi Eric,
Congratulations. You have Crawly-Backs. Charles Hogue indicates in his wonderful book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, that the grubs of the Green Fruit Beetle or Figeater, are called Crawly-Backs. He writes: “The adults are active from late summer to early fall and, during this period, lay their eggs in compost piles and other accumulations of decomposing plant litter. The larvae are fairly large (2 in., or 50 mm, long) and C-shaped; the body is pale translucent white, and the head is dark brown. The first two molts are completed in the fall, the third the following spring. Larvae move forward on their backs with an undulating motion of the entire body. They obtain purchase on the substratum with transverse rows of stiff short stout bristles on the back of the thorax. Because of the peculiar manner of locomotion, they are known as ‘crawly-backs.’” The adults are beautiful metallic green beetles that have a loud buzzing flight.
Figeater Grub
beetle larvae?
Hi, I’ve been bugging on and off for around 40 years but I have never seen one of these before. It’s about an inch long and found it in the dry Texas hill country. It moves very slow so I don’t see how it could catch anything but looks predatory to me, maybe it sits and waits? I know it’s a larvae but of what species, I don’t know. Do you know what this thing is?
Discounting the possibility that this is a Graboid from the movie Tremors, we believe a Beetle Grub is a good possibility, but we are not sure what. It could be subterranean, like the Graboids, which would make it a more effective predator than it is above ground. We are contacting Eric Eaton to see what he thinks.
Ha, ..Graboid.. Well I know your not seeing it in person but you’d see that it’s not a common grub. I noticed too that it has a feature underneath very close to the back end that it probably uses to anchor down and probably helps it crawl through holes, maybe those to finger-like things help it stay anchored too if it catches something at the entrance of a hole, ..speculating a lot there. I guess I’ll hang on to it and see what it turns into if we can’t find more info. Thanks a lot!
David
I was wondering if it was a larvae of a Pasimachus species, maybe something like Pasimachus elongatus? …I can’t find of pic of a larvae of one of those.
Update: (07/02/2008)
Hi, Daniel:
Wow, a couple real challenges! I suspect the grub is a soil-encrusted “wireworm,” the larva of a large click beetle, family Elateridae, but I can’t be positive. Looks like it has two prongs coming out the hind end which would be peculiar for wireworms….
Eric
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Posted 01 July 2008
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larvae ID
Attached is a picture of a larvae caught near our cabin in Arnold Ca (Calaveras County). Can you help me identify what pest this is? We have lost one pine tree to it and may lose others given the drought conditions. Thanks.
Larry Rillera
Hi Larry,
This is some species of Long Horned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae. Probably nothing short of disection and DNA analysis will get you an exact species. If your goal is an exact species, you will need to research which members of the family feed on pine in your locality and try to narrow the possibilities from there. BugGuide is a great source for information. Beetle larvae in general are much more difficult to identify than caterpillars. We will see if Eric Eaton can provide a novice’s guide to differentiating Cerambycids from Buprestids, the two main wood boring families of beetles.
Update: (06/14/2008)
Daniel:
Ok, how to tell whether it is a longhorn beetle grub (Cerambycidae) or a metallic woodborer larva (family Buprestidae). Well, in the larval stage, cerambycids are known as “roundheaded borers” while buprestids are called “flatheaded borers.” Indeed, it would appear as though the front quarter of a buprestid larva has been flattened like a pancake, greatly expanded on either side, followed behind by a much more slender body. Roundheaded borers are not flattened, though may show some depressed areas on the thorax, as the specimen in this image shows. Buprestid larvae, as they bore, leave behind them fine, tightly-packed “frass,” often in a ringed or fingerprint pattern. “Frass” is a polite name for insect poop, and it amounts to sawdust for woodborers. Roundheaded borers leave behind very coarse, fibrous frass. Apparently, a foolproof way to differentiate the two is thus: buprestid larvae have a hardened plate on the first segment behind the head, both on top and underneath. Cerambycid larvae lack the plate on the underside (per Western Forest Insects by R.L. Furniss and V.M. Carolin, 1977, U.S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication No. 1339). Hope that clarifies things (seems like one has to put everything under a scope to tell the difference….). Take it easy. Great work as always on everything else.
Eric
White Fat Grubs? Pics included!! Please respond ASAP!! Thanks!
While chopping wood in December, my dad stumbed upon 3 huge white grubs. I wrote you guys immediately but got no response. I wound up keeping them. When my dad gave them to me, they were out of their holes due to my dad cutting them (the holes) in half. The next day, they had knawed back into the wood and covered the opening with what I’m guessing is a mix of saliva and wood shavings. Now as it is almost April, I was wondering what this grub (or insect) is before they pop out of their cacoons. If I shake the wood slightly, I can feel them moving about. Characteristics: Off white VERY small head Black line running down back 6 small, almost nonexistant legs right behind head Thanks!! I hope they are some sort of beetle!!!
Cammy
Hi Cammy,
Sorry we didn’t get to your first request. These are Cerambycid Beetle Grubs, or more specifically, Prionid Grubs. Not sure what species as you did not identify the tree nor your location. Your photo is awesome.
The grubs came out of a water oak (similar to a live oak) in Tampa Florida. The species name would be greatly appreciated.
Cammy
Our best guess is Prionus imbricornus, the Tile Horned Prionus, which ranges in Florida and feeds on oak as well as other trees, shrubs, vines, and according to BugGuide, maize. This is a large and handsome beetle.
what’s that bug?
these baby bugs were found underground in nothern Arizona. there were ten lined june bug larva near the same area. we have some kind of red june bettles around that look alot like these. perhaps that is what they are? (I sent you the same photo before but I can’t find it on your site, so here it is again)
D. Pipkin
Hi D.,
These are Scarab Beetle Pupae, and the Red June Beetles you mention are a very likely candidate.
Bugs!
Here are several pictures of invertebrates that my wife has taken. She is a sales rep for a company that sells garden products and she uses the pictures to train garden center employees to identify local pests. First, is a grub I found in my front yard here in Vancouver, Washington. It was about an inch long. My wife doesn’t know what it is. Any ideas?
The next two are photos of a slug, one in front of a measuring tape. Nearly 10 inches long! What a beaut. The last two are European crane fly, in the adult and larval stages, respectively. Just something to add to your collection.
Evan
Wow Evan,
Thanks for all the awesome images. We are starting a new page devoted to snails and slugs thanks to your great images of a Banana Slug. We aren’t sure exactly what your grub is, but it is a type of scarab. We love the image of the larval Craneflies, known as Leather Jackets.
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Posted 09 March 2005
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Grub? But the Size?
We found this LARGE grub like thing while cleaning out a junk area in the yard. Can you tell us what it is? And what it may turn into?
Thanks,
Jason Wilson
Austin Texas
Hi Jason,
You have a large Scarab Beetle grub, possibly one of the June Beetles. June Beetle grubs live in the ground and feed on the roots of grasses and other shrubs. Some Scarabs get quite large as both grubs and adults. Sorry I can’t provide an exact species name for you.
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Posted 07 November 2004
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Hi,
I have a question. What is he and what do I feed him? I found him in
my back yard in Iron Station, NC. He was in the grass by a water
spicket. A mowed yard surrounded by several 100 inhabited woods. I
live in the country. He is very active in late day, night and seems to
be eating grass. His glowing is bright and is 24 hours a day. He is
very beautiful. I would like to know what to feed him so I don’t hurt
him. I am keeping him in a aquarium.
He is slightly fleshy segmented and seems to fold within himself but not
as much as a grub worm or as thin as a centipede. He is around 2.2
inches long when open all the way up and with around 12 segments. His
head is dark gold, triangle shaped with several short antenna and tiny
pinchers. He is very active and glows beautiful neon green in between
each segment and on his side is very bright glowing dots below each neon
strip. Gorgeous when he moves. Absolutely reflects on the grass around
him.
Is it a larva or a worm?
Thanks for your help in identifying him. I think he is unique.
Thank you.
Ivy Baker
We are currently trying to help Ivy identify her beetle grub.
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Posted 01 June 2004
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Hi Daniel,
I’m having an ongoing problem with what I’m told are grubs in my St. Augustin grass. Each summer I get these patches which turn yellow/ brown and die out, just as if I hadn’t watered them in ages, which is, of course, not the case. Apparently they eat the roots of the grass causing the tops to die. I have usually spread grub killer and that seems to take care of it. The problem is that the grub killer, called "Seven," I believe, is super toxic, indicating the need to wear socks, long pants, gloves, respirator (my addition), etc. Do you know of any similar remedy for grubs that would not be so environmentally horrendous? I have three cats who live in this grass daily and I don’t want one of them to start growing an extra head or some other such gruesome mutation. Caroline, a Manx, already has all the extra toes she can handle.
Thanks,
Kathleen (a.k.a. Toxic Avenger)
Dear Kathleen,
I can think of three possible culprits for your St. Agustine grass problem, the likliest one being the chinch bug, Blissus insularis, small gray-black insects that suck plant juices from grass blades, especially St. Agustine grass, especially in hot weather. To confirm chinch bugs, according to the Western Garden Book , push a bottomless can into the soil just where the grass is beginning to turn brown. Fill can with water, If lawn is infested, chinch bugs will float to the surface. Diazinon and chlorpyrifos are chemical controls. According to Hogue, the Southern Chinch Bug feeds on several grasses, but Saint Augustine is by far the preferred host plant. The insect’s feeding may cause considerable damage: the grass becomes dwarfed, turns yellow and then brown, and dies. Because of the tendency of the species to form aggregations, the symptoms of attack are usually visible in scattered patches. The species is not a native. It first appeared in the Los Angeles area in the late 1960’s, having come from the southeastern states. It produces two generations per year and is most abundant in midsummer. Two additional possible culprits that require the same chemical control are Sod Webworms and beetle grubs. If you see whitish to buff colored moths flying around the lawn in a zigzag pattern at night, check for their larvae. To confirm Sod Webworms, drench area of lawn with a solution of 1 tablespoon dishwashing soap diluted in 1 gallon of water. Larvae will come to surface. Treat if there are 15 or more webworms per square yard.
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Posted 15 November 2002
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Dear Mr. Bug Man,
These live in my compost pile. They seem to be good for the decomposition, because they eat the contents of the pile and excrete them in a much-broken-down-form. But: what the hell? Big as my pinkie. Jerusalem Cricket?
Thanks,
Sean Dungan
Dear Sean,
Despite the suspiciously similar appearance to the killer "graboids" from the movie Tremors, your grub is just a grub, in this case the larval form of the Green Fruit Beetle (Cotinus mutabilis). Any observant insect watcher in Southern California, Arizona or Mexico has surely seen these enormous metalic green scarabs which take flight in August and September, buzzing noisily and circling clumsily in their search for fruit, namely figs, peaches, apricots, nectarines, grapes and cactus fruit which is the wild host plant. Originally native to Arizona and New Mexico, the beetle has moved west and is now relatively common in the Los Angeles Basin. Eggs are laid in compost piles, and the grubs, which can reach 2 inches in length, are sometimes called "crawly-backs" because of their method of locomotion, which involves undulating the body and pushing against the substratum with short stout bristles on the back of the thorax. The grubs feed on decaying vegetation, and are beneficial to the compost pile.
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Posted 01 November 2002
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