Mystery Grub

mpatterson · Hazel Tree Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

I have landscapers in at the moment and they found a grub they can't identify. I've found them myself in the garden before. Best likeness I can find on the internet is the 'glassy cutworm'.

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verge · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject:

mpatterson, could you please post a picture of one of the grubs in your soil. Someone here may be able to identify it for you and tell you if it is a problem or not plus solutions from their own experiences.
Picture posting instructions here http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 157

Looks like they found a moth pupa, don't know the species though. young moths are like caterpillars and often bury into the ground forming a pupa like the one your landscapers found. A moth should eventually emerge from that case. Nothing to worry about really, I'd say.
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mpatterson · Hazel Tree Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

Many thanks for the reply - this thing moves like a worm, does that mean it still could be a pupa? My wildlife knowledge is rubbish I'm afraid.

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 157

The pupa can move if touched or stroked, but will not move around like larvae. If you think of the way that butterfly larvae the caterpillar move, then your pupa will not be any way as active.
The moth lays eggs which hatch to the larvae form (caterpillar like), these are usually the pest eating everything, then the larvae go into the pupal stage, to eventually emerge as a new moth. And so on, and so on.......
If you worry about the caterpillars in the future, you can be reassured in the fact that quite a few pupa will have been picked of by your garden birds as the soil is worked by the landscapers.
_________________
______________________________
Hi, my name is Blackbird and I am trying to raise awareness about irishgardeners.com
I need more gardeners to talk to.
So if you like the site or my ramblings please link to it.

Gardening Ireland, one plant at a time.

Dr. Sunny Thomson · Hazel Tree Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 39 Location: ireland

Looks like a pupa alright, could be a moth and the glassy cutworm is in fact the larvae of a moth. Not much to worry about at the moment anyway. Did you find many of them mpatterson, and if you found them before did you see any adverse effects in your garden that time.