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Southwestern Gardening

Can you identify this worm thing?

ernie85017, zn 9, phx

11 years ago

Cross posting, to reach as many as possible who might recognize these.

I have never seen these before, but this year there are A LOT of them. They don't curl up in a circle like the other worm-things that are usually in the soil. These are one inch long. I am concerned because I never saw them before and there are so very many of them.

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Comments (6)

hammerhugger
11 years ago
They look like slugs but am not sure.
plantprop
11 years ago
not slugs. have you called local extension service? Are they in lawn area? crane fly larvae ?
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violetwest
11 years ago
dunno but they're pretty disgusting looking!
ernie85017, zn 9, phx
Original Author
11 years ago
No answer from the extension. I did a lot of research and found that they are leatherjackets. THe larva of the crane fly. Never noticed crane flies before around here, but now they must be hatching and I see a lot of them. The look like gigantic mosquitos. Picked out a lot of the larva from the soil and fed them to the chickens. They seem to like areas where the soil is a little moist, near the house.
ernie85017, zn 9, phx
Original Author
11 years ago
FOund it. They are called leatherjackets. They are the larva of the crane fly.
bjbaughman37
10 years ago
If they are big.. they are going to turn into a great big moth.. just set them aside out of your way and let them do their thing...

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