Garden

[cmjantje]

We hevae a lot of the animals as attached in our garden. I don't recognize them. Are they good? Bad?

[sceadugenga]

Are they in the soil or on the plants?

[cmjantje]

Are they in the soil or on the plants?

In the soil, they are big. About 5 to 7 cm length.

[eyecatcher]

I was going to ask the same.

I dug out 45 from my compost heap today.

Thought they were queen termites or giant wood wasps but wife reckons they are butterfly caterpillars.

Now in a bucket waiting to see if they are good for the compost bin or not.

About 3in long and 3/4in fat.

Here's my collection

[eyecatcher]

I have just been trying to find out what they are.

First thing that came to mind was wichetty grub as larvae from any number of moths...but not convinced.

I rules out queen termite as they are usually surrounded by termites.

My latest conclusion comparing photos is they may be the larvae of the longhorn beetle, or roundhead wood borer. Until I get another confirmation mine are staying in the bucket (of water) as I live in a tree house so there is no way I am letting them develop into a house eater.

[kevvy]

they are witchetty grubs , an Australian outback delicacy eaten by the local Aboriginals but they eat them raw. great fishing bait as well.

the term is used mainly when the larvae are being considered as food. The grub is the most important insect food of the desert and has historically been} a staple in the diets of Aboriginal Australians.^[3] The different larvae are said to taste similar, probably because they have similar wood-eating habits. Edible either raw or lightly cooked in hot ashes, they are sought out as a high-protein food by Indigenous Australians. The raw witchetty grub tastes like almonds and when cooked the skin becomes crisp like roast chicken while the inside becomes light yellow, like a fried egg

These larvae may also be called Bardi grubs, also spelled Bardy grubs, especially when they are being considered as bait by freshwater fishermen. The term bardi grub appears to have originally been used for larvae of the longhorn beetle (Bardistus cibarius), but fisherman along the Murray River more often apply the term to the hepialid moth larvae of Trictena^[4] and Abantiades.^{[5][citation needed]}

These grubs live about 60 centimetres (24 in) below ground and feed upon the roots of River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). They can also be found under Black Wattle trees, and are attributed as the reason why wattles die within 10 to 15 years.^{[citation needed]} The roots of the Acacia kempeana shrub are another source of the grubs

[eyecatcher]

Great info thanks.

I can add to it now.....they can't swim

And i think the birds will enjoy them in the morning.

[cmjantje]

My wife says that is not the one. She knows the witchetty grubs because they are in the bamboo we have here. It is, she says, a different one. Her father also don't know this one. She thinks it is a larve from a kind of big fly.

[toybits]

They look like beetle larvae. Not to worry...

[Garry]

Are there Cicada's in Thailand? They look similar to Cicada larvae,

Sent from my SM-T211 using Tapatalk

[cmjantje]

We know already!

Lucanus Formosanus.

Edited February 20, 2014 by cmjantje

[sceadugenga]

The "fighting" beetle?

[cmjantje]

The "fighting" beetle?

The male yes.They sit on the top of bamboo. People shake them of. With two males inside the ring they add a female and the fight starts.

That is what my wife says.

[cooked]

Let them metamorphose and find out?

[sceadugenga]

The "fighting" beetle?

The male yes.They sit on the top of bamboo. People shake them of. With two males inside the ring they add a female and the fight starts.

That is what my wife says.

Very popular with the kids here at the right time of the year.

I think that's sugar cane they tie them to.