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Bugs in my compost heap

John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
in Problem solving
Hi all, does anyone recognise or know what this critter is that I found in my compost heap this morning. Greyish white with an orange head it looks a bit like a vine weevil grub but is. far to big to be that  (about 10-12mm across and about 30-35mm long).  I'm trying to attach a photo but no success at present

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Try making the picture smaller ... that usually works.

    Does the creature have legs?  

    https://naturebftb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Larval-ID-guide.pdf

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





  • John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
    I've had another look and it doesn't appear to have legs. Taken another pic at smallest resolution my iPhone 6 can do so will try to add that.
  • John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
    Thanks for the info Dove: I had a look at the website you posted and I think it is probably a stag beetle larvae. I wondered if it might be that and didn't want to harm it if it was. I will put it back into the heap carefully when I have finished the raised bed I'm preparing for the potatoes. John H
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Exciting 👍 😎 

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





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I agree, most likely Lesser Stag Beetle (I have those here) but it would be super if they were there rarer Stag Beetle.  Great news either way. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
    I found three more this morning, now all safely tucked up in the compost bin. I'm guessing there are probably a few more besides the ones I found. :)
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    They'll need to be wherever you put them for quite some time.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
    They won’t get disturbed now for the rest of this season - I have 3 compost bins so I’ll leave that one alone now.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited March 2021

    LARVAE

    About the larva:

    1. Orange head
    2. Cream body
    3. Takes 6 years to grow upto 8cm
    4. 6 legs
    5. Lives in and eats rotten wood
    6. Sheds skin 5 times
    Stag Beetle Larvae

    Next stage pupa


    In London. Keen but lazy.
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