Can anyone ID these "grubs" for me?

[Mmathis]

They are twice the size (maybe more) than the garden variety grub I'm used to digging up in the yard. I found these today imbedded in a section of an old cut-down tree trunk that I was saving. I turned it over and it disintegrated -- the trunk was at least 12" diameter but there was nothing left of it except sawdust and these guys. To get them all out took some effort and I had to dig to get at a lot of them. There are 76 grubs here (yes, I counted), and if they survive, they'll be turtle food.....BUT WHAT ARE THEY; WHAT KIND OF CRITTER? And don't say Klingon gagh, LOL!

 

[moby]

We get Chafer beetles here in the U.K. and their grubs look just like those you've found, but maybe most beetle larvae look similar?

 

[MitchM]

What about a May beetle grub?

 

[koiguy1969]

Something from ST VOYAGER?... lol

 

[moby]

Exactly Mitch, as that's the other common name for our largest UK Chafer beetles! Great minds eh?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

What specie of tree was it? Must be the grub of some specie of wood-boring beetle, of which there are quite a few.

 

[Mmathis]

What about a May beetle grub?
View attachment 98264

AKA, June bug. But I dig those up in the ground, and these were in a dead tree. Also, these guys were at least twice as big.

What specie of tree was it? Must be the grub of some specie of wood-boring beetle, of which there are quite a few.

An oak, but not sure what kind: red or white?

Something from ST VOYAGER?... lol

You must have read my FB post, LOL!

 

[Alisonvalley]

I don't know what species that is. I've dug up similar grubs. Assuming they eat plant roots, I throw them on the driveway, hoping that a passing bird will find'em before they crawl back into the ground.

 

[morewater]

Larval stage of June Bug. They're hell on lawns and can destroy vast areas in a short period of time. Some years there's more than in other years.

 

[Mmathis]

I don't know what species that is. I've dug up similar grubs. Assuming they eat plant roots, I throw them on the driveway, hoping that a passing bird will find'em before they crawl back into the ground.

Larval stage of June Bug. They're hell on lawns and can destroy vast areas in a short period of time. Some years there's more than in other years.

These weren't in the ground -- they were imbedded inside a dead tree trunk. Doubt they are June bug/May beetle larvae. Also, these are much larger.

I just did a quickie GOOGLE search and the thing that came closest was a stag beetle. More research to be done. If nothing eats them over night [they're in a bucket on the back porch], I'll try to get some better close-up shots. Who would have guessed it, but apparently one way to ID "grubs" has something to do with their anal opening -- and no, I didn't get that up close & personal with these guys!

 

[koiguy1969]

AKA, June bug. But I dig those up in the ground, and these were in a dead tree. Also, these guys were at least twice as big.

An oak, but not sure what kind: red or white?

You must have read my FB post, LOL!

Yes mam

 

[adavisus]

Shouldn't worry too much about old dead wood boring beetles. Just take for granted they will keep munching that old log until its gone and they move on.

I've got a big ol' tree, used to be 4' thick down, am toying with making a few soil pockets for arum lilies or ferns in its quietly crumbling mass while the beetle larvae munch on it

 

[Mmathis]

@adavisus I'm about convinced now that they are a beneficial, but I become obsessed sometimes to find out "what"...... It's fascinating!

Based on what I've read on this site http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/larva-guide/index.html I'm pretty sure it's some type similar to Rose chafer Cetonia aurata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae), though not necessarily that exact insect.

I took a few more pics this morning, trying to zero in on certain anatomical features. Maybe these will help. @Tiny Termite, what do you think regarding this US insect larvae? NOT a ground-dwelling larvae.

 

[MitchM]

You take some pretty good pictures, have you tried using google image search?
You drag a picture from your desktop into the search field in your browser.
https://images.google.com

 

[adavisus]

If you google images for 'wood boring beetle larvae' your obsession might spot a few names to look up in wikipedia. There's a lot of creepy crawlies out there, too many to mention! When I see 86,000 species mentioned am in no hurry to greet them by name

I have no problem with those that dispose of trees that fall over