What do they taste like and are they crunchy or smooth?

Just kidding folks!

Can you post a picture?

Lloyd

{{gwi:268954}}

I have a little too much time on my hands today and Lloyd, you're a bad influence on me.
;)

No Trans Fats!!! I spewed coffee all over my computer! That is hilarious! I like your sense of humor, "backside of the moon" indeed.

Now I'd better apologize for the hi-jack.

Sorry.

Lloyd

Now I'd better apologize for the hi-jack.

Yeah, me too.

(I have a feeling they're gonna have to separate us)

Another coffee spewing here!! ;) Great pic.

Seriously, one has to ask WHY you want to ID them since most are no real problem? But if you do the common insects found in compost piles are:

fruit flies (aka vinegar flies) and their maggots
ants
Springtails
Black soldier fly maggots
Sowbugs (aka Roly-Polys)
House flies and their maggots
Earwigs
Centi/Millipedes
Various beetles

And check out the list below.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Invertebrates of the Compost Pile

I like that picture. They are crunchy, and taste like chicken, burned, dead, decomposing chicken.

I thought that they may be soldier fly larvea and then found a pic on this site, and that's not what they are. I want to identify them because I've never seen them before and now they are showing up in my worm compost bin, probably because I take a little compost from my regular composter, I'm guessing and I want to make sure that they aren't going to eat my worms. I've been taking them out as much as I can until I can verify that they are good for my worm bin.

How do you post a picture?

Other than just wanting to know there is no reason to id any bugs in your compost since it you can see them they don't belong. Any insect larva that you would see in compost need a fairly moist environment for the eggs to hatch and the larva to grow, an environment that is too moist for proper composting. Several people here took great offense when I posted links to web sites that said the presence of these insect larva in a compost pile was the result of poor management, so I won't post those again.

kimmsr, thank you for your reply, but last year was the first year that I've ever composted. fortunately, I didn't read the comments like yours and others that say it takes 8 to 10 weeks to compost. during the summer, I get compost in about 2 weeks, I turn it 1 to 2 times a week by hand, and usually have to wait to get more material to put in. I'm confident that it's not too moist, my worms thrive and have been doing so in their bin for about a year as well. I don't think that the insect is a larvae, it looks like a small armadillo with no legs or head, and quite frankly, if you don't have anything to add to assist me in my question, why even waste everyone's time with a reply? Who care's why I want to identify it? How about if I just say "just because"?

If it looks like a small armadillo and is less that 1/2" long then it is likely a sow bug as that is the typical description of them and they are common to compost piles.

To post a photo: open an account at a free photo storage place like photobucket.com and load your pics there. Then, in the post here, copy and paste the HTML link they give you. It is the third one down on the list of choices under your pictures and begins with Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Sow bug pic

Don't let him get to ya, it just raises your BP.

Missed your question earlier 'bout posting photos. There is an explanation in the FAQ (go back to the Soil Forum page, it's up in the top area just under the greeny area) about pictures, but it took me a while to get the hang of it. I am no computer whiz by any stretch of the imagination. I post my pics on Flickr and link to them there, trying to embed them was waaayyy beyond my capabilities.

BTW, chuckled at the "tastes like chicken" response.

Lloyd

Just a quick message. I think that kimmsr is right that larvae in the compost bin is a sign that you should cut down on the moisture, but at the same time, lots of people suggest that BSF larvae are good for compost bins. Check out this informative Wiki page. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Wiki BSF