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Lava identification

Claire.williamsClaire.williams Posts: 19
in Problem solving
Probably wrong category, apologies. Was replanting a geranium as it’s having trouble and found (so far) a white lava. Picture quality terrible...best description the thorax has a caterpillar body but with legs... can someone identify, please? Thanks   
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  • Claire.williamsClaire.williams Posts: 19

  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    Looks a bit like vine weevil?
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    I don’t know what it is, but that photo is strangely beautiful. Possibly vine weevil.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2019
    Don't think it's Vine weevil larva ... they have chestnut coloured heads and can't see that in the pic.  They also don't have legs and that one looks as if it does have them.

    Looks like some sort of beetle pupa to me


    Edited to say:  Just checked ... vine weevil lose the chestnut heads as they pupate so that may be what's happening.



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Vine weevil larva turning into an adult, I think.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    I think it is a vine weevil, in that freaky looking stage between grub and beetle. Pansyface once described them as "mutant jellybabies" 😂.

  • Claire.williamsClaire.williams Posts: 19
    Thanks all...some where young with a brown head...will it hurt the geranium or other bedding plants? 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    It will Claire, it will eat almost everything, that one is soon to turn into an adult, they are all females so all lay eggs, the adult beetle just eat your leaves, that’s not so bad, but when the eggs hatch out into those grubs they eat all the roots away. 
    Horrible little things,  but you can get nematodes to water into your pots, that will kill them.  Nows a good time to do that, then again at the end of September. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    Squish it... Squish 'em all NOW!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Put them on the birdtable in a dish with a rim.

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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