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Stag Beetle Grubs?

Trish3Trish3 Posts: 13
in Wildlife gardening

I have been spreading my home made compost around some of my shrubs and trees and came across these grubs:- large, white, with orange heads curled in a C about 3/4 inch across.  Are they stag beetle grubs?  What should I do with them?  In the past I have thrown them under the hedge, but if they are stag beetles I want them to survive

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  • LilylouiseLilylouise Posts: 1,013

    Hello Trish  - do they look like this ?

    http://www.stagbeetles.co.uk/stagbeetlelarvae.htm

    Pam LL x

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Could vine weevil grubs?-only size might be wrong?-chafer grubs?-a picture would help Trish?image

  • LilylouiseLilylouise Posts: 1,013

    This is a better photo image

     

    http://bugguide.net/node/view/15821

     

    Pam LL x

  • nutcutletnutcutlet PeterboroughPosts: 26,848

    I usually find stag beetle larvae in the woodpile rather than the compost heap. Chafer larvae live in soil so probably compost heaps as well. 

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 11,391

    Most likely Rose Chafer larvae, which are often found in compost heaps and are about 20mm long, which fits well with the 3/4 inch size quoted.  Stag beetle larvae are a fair bit bigger than that (up to 110mm, but usually about 50-80mm) and are usually only found in (or in the soil under) dead wood.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,124

    Rose chafer info http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/collections/our-collections/cetonia-aurata/index.html

    Images of rose chafer larvae http://garden.kierenandverity.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/chafer-larvae.jpg

    Hope they're helpful image

     

     

     

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Trish3Trish3 Posts: 13

    Thank you Lilylouise,Sotongeoff, Nutcutlet and Bob the Gardener for your replies.Your pics Lilylouise did look like the grubs I found. I returned them to the corner of the heap.  I will have to have a look tomorrow and measure them Bob.The 3/4 inch was across the C, so they  could be longer.

  • Trish3Trish3 Posts: 13

    Thankyou Dovefromabove the info you sent was very helpful.  I did see rose chafers in the garden last summer so I think the grubs are rose chafers.  ( I'm going to check if mine are hairy ,but they didn't un curl so couldn't say if they travelled on their back)

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 11,391

    If they are Rose Chafer, they are very beneficial as far as helping the composting process goes.image

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 20,383

    I have rose chafer beetle larvae in my manure, have already researched it to find out what they were, and Dove's links are very good.

    Dordogne and Norfolk
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