larva ident

[mquinn]

very large
2 inches long
found in a felled walnut tree

thanks.

http://www.missouri.edu/~quinnl/temporary/grub.jpg

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Those are a good day at the lake fishing.
Larvae stage of the leatherback beetle. Here in WI, every Red Oak has a handfull in them.

 

[mquinn]

i knew i was missing out on something by not being a fisherman...

leatherback beetle? is that the same as an oak borer? would they be that large?

thanks for the response...it's at least a bit closer than the only other one i've gotten so far from a guy who says: "the one on the right reminds me of martha."

i'm pretty sure i just went through this search a while back when somebody brought in a pupal case - and it does seem to me that the identification of that turned out to be an oak borer - but, i seem to have not only forgotten, but apparently forgot to write down what the final determination was on that, as well....

oak borer in a walnut tree? i know things are getting squirrely in the bio world these days, but....

how about another option? got any more?

thanks, mike.

 

[geofore]

oppinion

I find them in the oak trees most often here in PA., they are good for fishing. They will keep in a bag of frass for a week or more if you can't go fishing today. If you don't fish give them to a buddy that does, he'll appreciate them.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

They feed on decomposed wood, I've found them in every tree with a cood pile of humus in a cavity.

Never found them in even punky wood, always the crumbled rot.

Could not find anything on "leatherback" beetle.

 

[Stumper]

I found a ton of grubs which appeared identical to those at the bottom of a pile of mulch last year. No oak at all in the chip pile. Plenty of the decayed material that JPS referenced though.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Osmoderma
Hermit Flower Beetle or Scarab Beetle

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

 

[mquinn]

many thanks mike, jp.

maybe should have reared one - too late - pickled.

and thanks to the rest of you for pitching in.

 

[mquinn]

i meant to say - i'm still not sure that's the right one yet - because the descriptions talk about an insect that's a little over an inch long (up to 3 cm). these grubs are nearly 2 inches.

i don't know. could be.

thanks again.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Ask a few tree people to save some for you next time they find them. I see them several times a summer, if not more.

We have fun throwing them at each other, "Hey Tom, Luch!"

 

[Eric E.]

stag beetle (insect family Lucanidae)

I believe this is the one you show in the picture.

Last year I removed the bed liner from my truck, there was a lot of wood chips between the liner and the bed. I pulled 26 of them out.