Okay, so I'm doing some googling while I wait for any responses. Perhaps these are actually White Grubs, and not maggots? They seem to fit the online descriptions exactly. Am I right to assume that these would be very bad to have in my compost pile and beds?

Not all grubs are created equal. Some are good to have around.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: White Grubs

They may be black soldier fly larvae. Google 'em. They are fairly common in compost piles.

Those translucent whiteish, sometimes creamy, C shaped thingys would be the larva of one of the scarab beetles, June Bugs, Japanese Beetles, etc.

Katherine, I hope you figure out how to post the pictures, because I saw something similar to that in my pile while turning it last night. I was trying to ignore them.

Cathy

p.s. Mine has nothing to do with horse manure.

Katherine, you can send me pictures, if you like. I'll try to ID them for you.

TJ is right - not all grubs are the same. If there are grubs in your compost or in manure, they're not the kind that will eat your lawn roots. Grubs that eat the lawn are in the lawn - they won't be found in compost. Grubs that eat manure are in manure, grubs that eat compost will be in compost. Don't worry, and don't squash them! Some grubs actually have a useful rather than destructive purpose.

And somebody said soldier fly larvae, and your description sounds kinda like those too. Just Google it and find out. Soldier flies are not the type that fly around and irritate you. They're usually found in compost and manure, and strangely enough, I always see them walking across the compost, not flying around it.

Deanna

Thanks again to everyone...............

rhizo_1 identified them via e-mail. She confirmed that they were, indeed, beetle grubs, which is also what kimmsr had suggested.

joepyeweed....they are not the soldier fly larvae, I reserached online, and mine really don't resemble them much, although I wish they were.

cathyd gardener...If you'd like, I can shoot you some pics of mine to campare with what you have found in yours.

Deanna....Nope, not the soldier fly. I don't have the heart to squash them, at least not until I find them entangled in the roots of a prized plant they are gobbling up!! I think I'll just put as many as I can find in my compost bin, and let them eat and poop out that to their satisfaction. When I screen the compost, I'll leave them out for the birds to munch on. That's right tj, I'll make them good to have around for something.

I found a faq page in the soils forum, written by Monte, titled, "Large c-shaped grubs in compost pile". Mine seem to match this describtion - "You can identify them from other more destructive types of grubs fairly easily. They are an off white color changing to a dark grey at the tail end with a reddish brown head. They are considerably larger than most grubs, up to 2" in some cases. Say the size of a small shrimp. If you expose them they will crawl on their backs, legs in the air, to try and rebury themselves. This "upside down" mode of locomotion is specific to this species." This would be in regards to them being grubs of the Green Fruit Beetle.

So anyways, now that you have all helped me figure out what these little creatures are, I'm still a bit confused as to whether or not I can put them in along with the manure into my garden beds. I was given a bunch of perrenial divisions several days ago, that I really need to get into the ground. And since these came unexpectedly, I don't have a bed prepped yet. So, I plan on digging up an area, removing as many weeds/grasses as possible, and planting them there. The only thing I really have on hand to amend the natural soil is this aged manure. I'll add some transplant mix w/ mycchorizae into each hole, mulch the top really well, and hope for the best. Should I pick out as many of these grubs as I can out of the manure before digging it in? This bed is really going to be one big experiment anyways, but I really don't want these grubs munching on the already severely stressed roots of these freebie plants. By the way, they are yarrow, iris, coneflower, rose campion, rocky mountain penstemmon, coreopsis, and some kind of sagelike thing. So, if any of these survive, I'll have a nice little perrenial bed.

Katherine

I will toss beetle grubs into the tray bird feeder. Birds love them.