What's this bug?

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TallTom

Forager
Mar 23, 2014
185
0
Surrey
Hi all, found a grub after accidently breaking a log whilst at work, I've not seen one before, I would guess it would turn into a beetle of some sort?

29ac82fff57612b07396f8c04f77c7e4.jpg
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Larval form of a crane fly,(I'm pretty sure of this) Known round my way as 'leather jackets', my mum used to feed them to her pet crow. :)

Most ugly little guys, but essential to the cycle of spring and summer ickyness.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,999
4,652
S. Lanarkshire
That looks awfully like the buggits that I found inside the Oca tubers last Winter….I took photos, I'll find the link, but the opinion was that it was an overwintering swiftmoth larvae, iirc.

M
 
Last edited:
Dec 6, 2013
417
5
N.E.Lincs.
just looked up Stag Beetle larvae to satisfy my own curiosity and I am pretty sure that is what it is, though something to give scale would help.

DB
 
Feb 21, 2015
393
0
Durham
I dont know what they are, but i worked in a woodyard in Spain, chopping firewood with a hydraulic splitter, used to get loads of em in the Oak.....ugly sods, but stick one on a hook n Trout go MENTAL for em!
 

Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
It is a beetle larva. It has a distinct head capsule, which fly larvae lack, which rules out leatherjackets.

Impossible to identify beetle larvae to species.
 

TallTom

Forager
Mar 23, 2014
185
0
Surrey
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127783

Does anything on this thread look like your maggot thing ?

M
Nope not that one I'm afraid
Looks like that to me too.

This is a stage beetle larva I photographed

Stag Beetle Larva by British Red, on Flickr

I wouldn't expect to find crane fly larvae in a log - they are normally found in soil.





ETA

Beaten to it by a real expert !

Yea definitely a stag beetle larve then, nice info about the head armour too.

Thanks everyone for your replies, it's great to have so many different sources of information and experience to draw upon to better my own knowledge.

T
 

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