Hmmm. Grubs are v hard. The one on the bottom looks like a meal-worm type grub, which probably puts it in the beetle family Tenebrionidae. The one on top looks familiar but I can't place it. Im fairly certain they are both beetle larvae, though, especially if you found them in wood.
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I decided to plant a palm seed today because I enjoy watching paint dry, and I used some potting soil I've had around since sometime in the early spring. The soil was stored in the bag it came in which I'd folded closed, and it was even still a little moist. I filled the pot and started some water dripping into it to re-wet it, and I noticed tiny, tiny bugs crawling around in part of it. They were really, really tiny, maybe .5mm... maybe. They were gray, a little silvery, maybe even beige-ish; it was hard to tell because they were so small. They didn't look like fliers and I didn't see any fly, although again it was hard to tell. They shortly disappeared, probably back into the soil to get away from the light. I did make sure to check the bag for holes before I used it (in case something had an obvious nest in there), and didn't find any.
My question is, how likely are these things to eat my seed/plant, and should I replant it in new soil? Or can I leave it alone and not worry too much about it?
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
Dammit they might be thrips. Though I haven't seen one that looks tons like the things in my potting soil.
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
I....if theres a picture it's not loading for me but if they are very small and blue or grey they are probably Collembola, family Poduridae
Also known as springtails, they might do some damage to rootstocks but I don't think they are a big deal.
Edit: I don't actually know if Collembola are garden pests or not, nor do I know how to get rid of them. Until now, my only interaction with Collembola has been to look at them and go "awwwww"
I....if theres a picture it's not loading for me but if they are very small and blue or grey they are probably Collembola, family Poduridae
Also known as springtails, they might do some damage to rootstocks but I don't think they are a big deal.
Edit: I don't actually know if Collembola are garden pests or not, nor do I know how to get rid of them. Until now, my only interaction with Collembola has been to look at them and go "awwwww"
Objection, hearsay.
Just because you're a credentialed and respected bug expert doesn't mean you can claim a bug is cute and not present any evidence.
This is an implicit argument from authority and I w-
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I'm not good enough to get them to genus, species, or even family level, but those look like the eggs of some True Bug (so, a Hemipteran).
It's probably a pest insect, ultimately, so a little mechanical removal or soap and water can help you out here.
clearly you need to isolate the eggs and see what hatches..
for SCIENCE!
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I got a video because pictures proved impossible. I think some of the clearest footage is around the 1 minute mark. My phone camera doesn't like trying to focus on soil in the wind.
Honestly, Ceres, I'm not thinking those are thrips, if that's what you're worried about. I'm pretty sure those are some kind of Collembola species, maybe in the family Entomobryidae.
Here's a test- Do you see anything that looks like wings? If not, do they jump away when you move a pen near them?
If the answer to the first one is "no" and the second one is "yes", then they are Collembolans!
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I can't tell if they have wings, they're so tiny. And they're really fast when they want to get away, but I can't see exactly how they do it. They may well jump. Do Collembolans never have wings?
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Now that summer is here so are these tiny little bugs from last year I can't quite identify. They're small, about the size of a grain of rice, dark color, and they can fly but don't often. They dive into my bug zapper with regularity but otherwise prefer to stay put and crawl around somewhere. That somewhere is occasionally me, but they don't bite. I'll try to get a picture later.
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I think I'm going to ditch the soil and move the seed, since they're so long to germinate anyway. Whatever they are, I don't really want them near my plants just in case.
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Particularly weird because it carried its abdomen curled high up.
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"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
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BugBoyboy.EXE has stopped functioning.only bugs remainRegistered Userregular
That’s a baby leaf-footed bug!
The thread has now come full circle.
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
The circle... of life.
A bug's life.
Okay I'm done, I'll let it go.
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Ok, got one for you guys.
Very small, too small to get a good picture or to count legs. I'd guess about 3mm long; 1mm head, 2mm thorax?
Dark in color, probably black but maybe dark brown.
Found in the baking cupboard of my friend in Portland, OR. We're thinking some kind of weevil or beetle, but insectidentification.org did not yeild results. Ideas?
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I can't remember the scientific name, but it's commonly known as "time to throw away all your food, set your kitchen on fire, and start over".
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
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BouwsTWanna come to a super soft birthday party?Registered Userregular
I don't have any pictures more a question. Asian lady beetles were a bit of an issue in my area last year and I've seen a lot again this year, my question is are they a threat to Elm trees?
We have a large elm tree in our back yard and I see a lot of the nymphs(larva?) hanging out on the leaves of the elm. I keep a close eye on this tree because I have a constant worry that it will develop Dutch elm disease. If these asian lady beetles will stress the tree I'd like to try and do something about them.
BNet: ElMucho#1392
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BugBoyboy.EXE has stopped functioning.only bugs remainRegistered Userregular
Ladybugs and their larvae are predators, so they shouldn’t be a problem for your tree. If anything, they’ll be eating problems.
Yeah, lady-beetles are considered pests because they like to spend the winter in peoples houses. Because houses are warm and cosey, who wouldn't want to spend the winter there instead of outside?
But they are definitely a bug that it's good to see on plants, because they are going to kill any eat any insect that would hurt the plant.
Before following any advice, opinions, or thoughts I may have expressed in the above post, be warned: I found Keven Costners "Waterworld" to be a very entertaining film.
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I think only some are predators, and the rest eat everything. Including other ladybugs. And plants. And fungus. It probably depends on what species you've got and what plant you're protecting, I think some do eat wood.
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
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RingoHe/Hima distinct lack of substanceRegistered Userregular
So apparently my house has earwigs. Besides the fact that they creep my roommates out, is this a problem? And is there a good way of getting them to leave?
I think only some are predators, and the rest eat everything. Including other ladybugs. And plants. And fungus. It probably depends on what species you've got and what plant you're protecting, I think some do eat wood.
All ladybugs are predators, primarily on aphids. Occasionally they eat fungus and nectar, but insect meat is their food of choice. Especially insects that eat plantsap.
"The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
-Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
I'd be less worried about the earwigs and more worried about the moist environment that's attracting them. There would have to be a spot that's constantly damp for them to live in your house. That can lead to some more serious issues like mold.
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderatormod
I think only some are predators, and the rest eat everything. Including other ladybugs. And plants. And fungus. It probably depends on what species you've got and what plant you're protecting, I think some do eat wood.
All ladybugs are predators, primarily on aphids. Occasionally they eat fungus and nectar, but insect meat is their food of choice. Especially insects that eat plantsap.
Apparently there are a bunch in a subfamily that are either mostly or obligate herbivores, but that's according to wikipedia and I'm not an expert. :P
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
I think only some are predators, and the rest eat everything. Including other ladybugs. And plants. And fungus. It probably depends on what species you've got and what plant you're protecting, I think some do eat wood.
All ladybugs are predators, primarily on aphids. Occasionally they eat fungus and nectar, but insect meat is their food of choice. Especially insects that eat plantsap.
Apparently there are a bunch in a subfamily that are either mostly or obligate herbivores, but that's according to wikipedia and I'm not an expert. :P
Wow. There are. I've never even heard of those (primarily since they're super rare in northern and central europe).
"The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
-Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
Earwigs vascillate between "it literally just lives in your house" to "it will actively eat the aphids in your garden" depending on species.
That is, these guys are, at worst, just hanging out and at best are eating other insects or scavenging their corpses.
They don't climb into your ears, that's a mistranslation of their name. "Earwig" came from "Earwing" and we lost the "g" over time. Their rear wings (which are hidden under those leathery looking tiny wing covers) are shaped remarkably like a human ear.
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Hey @arch what are these cool grubs I found living in a stump that I was breaking up in my yard (Western mass)
I'd love it if you took a look at my art and my PATREON!
That first picture is probably a slightly deformed Cerambycid (long horn beetle, noted wood dwelling beetle) pupa!
My question is, how likely are these things to eat my seed/plant, and should I replant it in new soil? Or can I leave it alone and not worry too much about it?
Also known as springtails, they might do some damage to rootstocks but I don't think they are a big deal.
Edit: I don't actually know if Collembola are garden pests or not, nor do I know how to get rid of them. Until now, my only interaction with Collembola has been to look at them and go "awwwww"
Objection, hearsay.
Just because you're a credentialed and respected bug expert doesn't mean you can claim a bug is cute and not present any evidence.
This is an implicit argument from authority and I w-
..Withdrawn.
Can anyone tell me what laid these alien eggs on my basil?
I'm in texas, and this is a small basil leaf from the plant I have on my 3rd floor balcony.
No idea but just wanted to say that's a beautiful photo.
It's probably a pest insect, ultimately, so a little mechanical removal or soap and water can help you out here.
I don't know but this site is amazing. I'll try to get a picture today.
The internet tells me maybe stinkbugs?
clearly you need to isolate the eggs and see what hatches..
for SCIENCE!
Here's a test- Do you see anything that looks like wings? If not, do they jump away when you move a pen near them?
If the answer to the first one is "no" and the second one is "yes", then they are Collembolans!
Particularly weird because it carried its abdomen curled high up.
The thread has now come full circle.
A bug's life.
Okay I'm done, I'll let it go.
Very small, too small to get a good picture or to count legs. I'd guess about 3mm long; 1mm head, 2mm thorax?
Dark in color, probably black but maybe dark brown.
Found in the baking cupboard of my friend in Portland, OR. We're thinking some kind of weevil or beetle, but insectidentification.org did not yeild results. Ideas?
What a catchy colloquial name for them...
We have a large elm tree in our back yard and I see a lot of the nymphs(larva?) hanging out on the leaves of the elm. I keep a close eye on this tree because I have a constant worry that it will develop Dutch elm disease. If these asian lady beetles will stress the tree I'd like to try and do something about them.
Origin: theRealElMucho
But they are definitely a bug that it's good to see on plants, because they are going to kill any eat any insect that would hurt the plant.
Someone on imgur immediately identified it though
All ladybugs are predators, primarily on aphids. Occasionally they eat fungus and nectar, but insect meat is their food of choice. Especially insects that eat plantsap.
-Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
Apparently there are a bunch in a subfamily that are either mostly or obligate herbivores, but that's according to wikipedia and I'm not an expert. :P
Wow. There are. I've never even heard of those (primarily since they're super rare in northern and central europe).
-Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
That is, these guys are, at worst, just hanging out and at best are eating other insects or scavenging their corpses.
They don't climb into your ears, that's a mistranslation of their name. "Earwig" came from "Earwing" and we lost the "g" over time. Their rear wings (which are hidden under those leathery looking tiny wing covers) are shaped remarkably like a human ear.