What is this?

naomi.gaffney

What is this and are they harmful to the roots of a plant as they seem to bury themselves in the soil?  thanks

mikepeirce1

Looks like a leatherjacket grub. These turn into what are commonly known as "daddy long legs" They feed on plant roots (typically grass) so, yes, they do damage. I guess your next question would be "what can I do about them?" For us humble gardeners I fear the answer is "not much." However, it is unlikely you'll have a bad enough infestation to worry you.