BIG insects in my compost

[Grandpa]

Is it normal for large insects (grubs???) to infest a healthy(???) compost pile? Mine is about 4' square, only a foot deep at the moment though. I've some fruit and vegetable scraps in it, lots of grass clippings, some steer manure (treated stuff), sand and dirt, egg shells, coffee grounds etc. I dumped in a pile of potato skins tonight and when I turned it found a bunch of what appear to be grubs, but a WHOLE LOT BIGGER than what I've ever seen in the past. I had small ones maybe 1" long and a ¼" thick at most in my lawn years ago. Whats in the compost pile looks to be the same color with a transparent white body, but the head is not dark black, and they're curled the same but were over ½" thick and probably 2"+ long if uncurled. Some really healthy suckers. Oh, and ugly too! My 3 year old grandaughter thought they were "Cool Grampa, lets find more!"

[Fito]

Yes. Very normal.

Fito

[escapee]

Those are perfectly normal and a sign your compost IS healthy. They are rhinoceros beetle grubs. They are usually about the size of a human thumb.

Victoria

[culprit]

how can you tell what kind of beetle they're from just from that description? most grubs look pretty similar to me in person, let alone in text.

just curious...

-kelly

[Lar]

:) how can you tell what kind of beetle they're from just from that :) description? most grubs look pretty similar to me in person, let alone in :) text.

By the size description....... they are also known as Hercules beetle and Horned beetle in different parts of the country.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

[nancyg]

Don't know where you are from, but have seen news reports on the 17 year cicada maturing this year. They would be about the size you describe and starting to surface this spring and summer.

The compost pile will attract earthworms, grubs, sow bugs, and insects that help in reducing course vegetation to compost. If your compost pile is too "cool" add some green material (green leaves or grass clippings) or nitrogen to help heat it up. However it is early and the warmth will attract the above (usually around the edges and deeper)

[Beecrofter]

These grubs are the larvae of Lucanids and will grow into what are commonly called "Stag Beetles" See link below

[Grandpa]

[Grandpa]

I'm in Albuquerque, NM, zone 7. The Chicada thing is a possibility too as they are here in numbers often, however I've not seen many in the last 10+ years. They sure are annoying when they land on you, and noisy too. Wife had one get in her hair once years ago and I thought she was going to go totally insane trying to get it out of her hair.

Whatever they are they sure are UGLY look>

[Salty Thumb]

Grandpa wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I don't remember ever seeing any grubs in my smaller (~2' diameter), covered compost pile, but it is mostly leaves and in SE Virginia.

[Lar]

:) The Chicada thing is a possibility too :) as they are here in numbers often, however I've not seen many in the :) last 10+ years. They sure are annoying when they la

Sure there would be no confusing the two. The cicada will be brownish and visible legs easily seen, where the grub you saw probably was laying in the shape of a "C".

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

[Tom Jaszewski]

Also a sign the compost never went to temperature meeting USDA guidelines and may be of poor quality.... Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets. To plant a pine, one need only own a shovel.

-- Aldo Leopold

[Grandpa]

Probably the Grub then, but there appeared to be legs or lines that might develop into them along the inside of the 'C'(lots of them), more like a 'shrimp' looking thing in that sense.

[escapee]

I don't know of any other grub which is as large as was described and it is a very common grub found in healthy compost piles. So, I suppose I knew by process of elimination of the smaller beetle grubs, commonly found also in either compost piles (beneficial) or eating roots of turfgrass (not beneficial).

[escapee]

Cicada emerge as adults from the ground. Their larvae stay underground for the duration of their long gestation.

[escapee]

Grubs are insects, and will have three pairs of legs at one end. They are tiny and undeveloped.