White curly bugs in soil, red - orange head?

[Cheffie]

Starting the double digging today and came across a few insects in the soil. They where white with an orange-ish, -red-ish head with lots of legs like a centipede or such, in a curl, about 1-2 inches around the curl. I moved the first two to a none garden area just in case they are beneficial, but I have a feeling they are not.

Advice? thanks guys

[puttgirl]

May be Japanese beetle grubs. I throw them on the road for the birds!

[Cheffie]

May be Japanese beetle grubs. I throw them on the road for the birds!

#@@#@#@#@!!!!!!!!!*@*#$#*@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

I HAD A FEELING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can anyone confirm this??????

[Cheffie]

Never mind, I just google imaged it..

IT IS!!!!


Grrrrrr now I have to go back tomorrow and find them and get rid of them. I know I left at least two in the garden bed because it was getting dark.

Oh, I WILL find them tomorrow.

[American_Gardener]

Yeah it's a beetle grub of some kind. June bug larvae look identical.. heck they all pretty much look the same.

You'll probably find them were grass roots are. For some reason they seem to like grass roots. I usually just pull their heads off and leave em for the birds.

[Cheffie]

Yeah it's a beetle grub of some kind. June bug larvae look identical.. heck they all pretty much look the same.

You'll probably find them were grass roots are. For some reason they seem to like grass roots. I usually just pull their heads off and leave em for the birds.

Correct. That is where I found them, in a new bed I am preparing.

[TennOC]

The ones I find while digging I usually toss into one of those under-pot trays so they can't climb out. The birds will get them when you turn your back. You could try "Doom" but it takes a while to work.

[puttgirl]

I bet we all have very fat birds!

[American_Gardener]

Ain't that the truth PG.. I got robins that follow me around when i'm digging in the garden picking out worms and grubs and stuff. You'd think they'd be afraid of humans but i have to watch out where i'm walking sometimes cause they'll get right under my feet. Just like a flock of pigeons.. they know where the easy pickings are.

[erdrasher]

Ain't that the truth PG.. I got robins that follow me around when i'm digging in the garden picking out worms and grubs and stuff. You'd think they'd be afraid of humans but i have to watch out where i'm walking sometimes cause they'll get right under my feet. Just like a flock of pigeons.. they know where the easy pickings are.

Are you serious? because if you are, that's the coolest thing I've ever heard!

[American_Gardener]

Yup..

Seems when i'm back in the garden i just blend in with all the other creatures. Birds don't seem to be afraid.. i got 4 hummingbirds back there and they're constantly buzzing me. I hear a strange buzzing sound and turn my head to see a hummingbird just inches from my face. Don't know why they have to check me out.. there's plenty of flowers for em to go to. It's those darn cardinals and bluejays that keep spying on me to see where i plant my cucumber, melons and squash seeds i gotta really watch out for. They'll go and digg up my seeds faster than i can plant em. I just have to make sure they're not watching.. then i'm ok.

[Zephyrbird5a-6]

I have bluebirds that sit on the wire and watch. I throw out grubs, tomatoworms, anything I don't want in the garden and as soon as I'm not looking, they come down and grab.

Although I love all birds, the bluebirds are so beautiful. Love their mumbling chirping at the end of the day.

The hummingbirds squeak at me when the feeders are empty, or they squeak at me when I'm near a flower they want to harvest. In early to mid-May we watched the male hummers doing the mating flights trying to impress the female that nests in our pine tree.

Oh, and Cheffie, those are Japanese beetle grubs, right enough! Gross!

[PCKGRat]

I think the benefit of turning over my garden has been pulling out those little grubby (pardon the pun) &(*$&@*(&^

I have left them for the birds among other things. The base of the pot idea is what I did. The birds didn't take those ones, but they didn't get out into the yard. The grubs are quite quick at crawling when they need to be. But, they are also pretty funky looking. I feel bad, but it is the garden or them and the garden wins... Or at least I hope it wins this year.

[Imp]

When we dig in front or rototill, the grackles are right there, close to us and seem to fingure out we are not going to harm them and we will throw them the grubs and such.

Last year, we had a smart female that would catch the grub in the air when we tossed it to her. Pretty funny in the long run- lots of people hate grackles, but I sort of like the ornery things- and they are pretty smart.

[American_Gardener]

Imp..

That's interesting... I used to be interested in birds when i was younger.. did a lot of research on all kinds. The grackles are actually an indication that you might have a grub problem. If someone is seeing flocks of grackles in their yard.. it's a very good chance they are there to eat the grubs. Least that's what i remember from my researching when i was about 8 or 9.. Now, i'm not talking just one grackle here and there.. but if someone has em all over the yard.. day after day. It's a pretty good indication they're there to eat something. And unless you're putting little treats out there between the blades of grass for em.. I'm willing to bet it'd be the grubs they're after.

Yah.. i know they're not the prettiest birds.. but they are doing people a favor when you see them in your yard.

[Emerald]

I have hummers that are just brazen! I was late putting out the feeders one year and they would dive bomb me while I was out in the yard until I got them up and if I let them go empty there is one big one that will peep at the screen door until I go and fill the feeder.

[ynggarden]

I am new to this forum and fairly new to gardening. We have grubs that reach to 3 inches long!! They are thick...thick...thick. Last year I lost many of my vegetables to them. I have looked for every possible means to treat these pests without affecting the produce. We are already treating them in the surrounding areas. We have so many that it would do no good to dig them up and throw them to the birds. How would I accomplish a large scale assault on our grubs?:confused: Any help would be appreciated.