Friend or foe? Unknown insect-thing found in the garden...
 

I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple of inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise. Of course, I am a complete novice gardener, so it may be something common! But it wasn't in any of my (few!) gardening books, and I haven't found anything on the net. Perhaps somebody could help me?

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

So, what was it? And is it friend or foe?

Thanks in advance!

-- "Garden puss" wrote in message
...

I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple of
inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise. Of
course, I am a complete novice gardener, so it may be something common!
But it wasn't in any of my (few!) gardening books, and I haven't found
anything on the net. Perhaps somebody could help me?

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

So, what was it? And is it friend or foe?

Thanks in advance!
it is a chysalis of something. A moth of some kind perhaps?

Garden puss wrote:
I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple
of inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise. Of
course, I am a complete novice gardener, so it may be something
common! But it wasn't in any of my (few!) gardening books, and I
haven't found anything on the net. Perhaps somebody could help me?

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

So, what was it? And is it friend or foe?

Thanks in advance!

I would say earwig, but then I would have thought that anyone would have
been able to recognise an earwig.

As we have nothing to go on (as the policeman said when he found someone had
nicked all the urinals. Come back tomorrow, folks, I'm here all week!) could
you give me some more info: -

1) Was it a beetle? Did it have a hard carapace?2) Could it fly? Were
its wings visible (i.


--
In memory of MS MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

In article , Miss
Perspicacia Tick writes
Garden puss wrote:
I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple
of inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise. Of
course, I am a complete novice gardener, so it may be something
common! But it wasn't in any of my (few!) gardening books, and I
haven't found anything on the net. Perhaps somebody could help me?

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

So, what was it? And is it friend or foe?

Thanks in advance!

I would say earwig, but then I would have thought that anyone would have
been able to recognise an earwig.

As we have nothing to go on (as the policeman said when he found someone had
nicked all the urinals. Come back tomorrow, folks, I'm here all week!) could
you give me some more info: -

1) Was it a beetle? Did it have a hard carapace?2) Could it fly? Were
its wings visible (i.


It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"pammyT" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net wrote in message
...


-- "Garden puss" wrote in
message
...

I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a
couple of
inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise. Of
course, I am a complete novice gardener, so it may be something
common!
But it wasn't in any of my (few!) gardening books, and I haven't
found
anything on the net. Perhaps somebody could help me?

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end,
and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept
on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow
back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

So, what was it? And is it friend or foe?

Thanks in advance!
it is a chysalis of something. A moth of some kind perhaps?

I'd go along with that.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 27.05.2005

The message
from Kay contains these words:

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

Crane fly.

Foe.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Kay wrote:
Miss Perspicacia Tick writes
Garden puss wrote:
I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple
of inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise.

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

I would say earwig, but then I would have thought that anyone would have
been able to recognise an earwig.

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

A leather-jacket is a daddy long-legs grub, and IME always a dull,
matt muddy colour - be it an earwig? Don't think so! So, a chrysalis,
stick it in a jam-jar as in days of yore & wait & see...

* * *

Yup, I recognise earwigs! It definitely wasn't an earwig.

It did seem to have a fairly rigid outside - it really did look like the outside of a conker, shiny, brown, smooth - but it wasn't anything like I expect beetles to be like. It was cylindrical - no carapace, no wings (not even any legs).

FWIW, I've had a look at pictures for the suggestions so far, and I don't think it was a leatherjacket.

"Garden puss" wrote in message
...

Miss Perspicacia Tick Wrote:
Garden puss wrote:-
I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple
of inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise. Of
course, I am a complete novice gardener, so it may be something
common! But it wasn't in any of my (few!) gardening books, and I
haven't found anything on the net. Perhaps somebody could help me?

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end,
and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow
back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

So, what was it? And is it friend or foe?

Thanks in advance!-

I would say earwig, but then I would have thought that anyone would
have
been able to recognise an earwig.

As we have nothing to go on (as the policeman said when he found
someone had
nicked all the urinals. Come back tomorrow, folks, I'm here all week!)
could
you give me some more info: -

1) Was it a beetle? Did it have a hard carapace?2) Could it fly?
Were
its wings visible (i.


--
In memory of MS MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

* * *

Yup, I recognise earwigs! It definitely wasn't an earwig.

It did seem to have a fairly rigid outside - it really did look like
the outside of a conker, shiny, brown, smooth - but it wasn't anything
like I expect beetles to be like. It was cylindrical - no carapace, no
wings (not even any legs).

FWIW, I've had a look at pictures for the suggestions so far, and I
don't think it was a leatherjacket.


--
Garden puss

I'm familiar with them - often unearthed when digging around or clearing up
the nether parts of the garden.

Seems to be almost certainly a moth or butterfly chrysalis of some
description - do they look similar to this picture?

http://www.hortnet.co.nz/key/keys/in...cl/lba-pup.htm

You could always keep it in a suitable container covered with a little earth
and see what emerges...


--
Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes
The message
from Kay contains these words:

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

Crane fly.

Except what I know as a leather jacket isn't what everyone else knows as
a leatherjacket, so it isn't a crane fly.

This thing is probably chrysalis rather than larva, is bright shiny
brown, earwig colour, pointed at one end.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Chris Bacon
writes
Kay wrote:
Miss Perspicacia Tick writes
Garden puss wrote:
I was edging my lawn, and there was an insect/grub/something a couple
of inches under the soil that I turned up that I didn't recognise.

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

I would say earwig, but then I would have thought that anyone would have
been able to recognise an earwig.

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

A leather-jacket is a daddy long-legs grub, and IME always a dull,
matt muddy colour - be it an earwig? Don't think so! So, a chrysalis,
stick it in a jam-jar as in days of yore & wait & see...

well, that's why I said 'what I've always known as a leather jacket" - I
realise other people recognise a leather jacket to be other things.

Definitely not an adult earwig - the OP's description didn't include any
legs. Surprised no-one can identify it - if it's the thing I have in
mind (and the description is a very good fit), then they are not exactly
uncommon!
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In message , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes
The message
from Kay contains these words:

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

Crane fly.

Foe.

I always thought crane flies were daddy-long-legs but am willing to
stand corrected. Why are they foes?

Sounds more like a leatherjacket to me, and I thought they were foes.
--
June Hughes

On Tue, 31 May 2005 23:29:49 +0100, "pammyT" fenlandfowl
@talktalk.net wrote:

It was about an inch long, shiny conker-brown, rounded at one end, and
pointy cone-shaped (with distinct segments). The pointy end kept on
swivelling round as if looking for something or wanting to burrow back
down (but being on my trowel it had no luck).

Your description exactly describes a chrysalis. The conker brown, the
rounded end and the pointed end and the wiggling about which suggests
it is almost ready to emerge, probably as some sort of moth rather han
butterfly, though I cannot say which. Do you still have it? Someone
else has suggested putting it in a jar and waiting to see what
emerges. Then release it immediately.
No way have you described an earwig or a leatherjacket.

Pam in Bristol

In message , June Hughes
writes
In message , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes
The message
from Kay contains these words:

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

Crane fly.

Foe.

I always thought crane flies were daddy-long-legs but am willing to
stand corrected. Why are they foes?

Sounds more like a leatherjacket to me, and I thought they were foes.

Leather-jackets are the immature form of crane fly
But these beasties certainly seem to be the chrysalis of some sort of
moth. I don't think I could identify which one even after it has hatched
:-( There are so many and they are so similar
--
Sue Begg
Remove my clothes to reply

Do not mess in the affairs of dragons - for
you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

* * *

Chrysalis it seems to be - but I'll probably never know for sure, as it's probably hatched out and made off by now!

Thanks, everybody, for all your help and suggestions. It's nice to know that I don't have an infestation of rare horrifying plant munchers...now all I have to do is worry about the extremely common plant munchers...

The message
from Kay contains these words:
In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes
The message
from Kay contains these words:

It's what I've always known as a leather-jacket. larva or chrysalis of
something.

Crane fly.

Except what I know as a leather jacket isn't what everyone else knows as
a leatherjacket, so it isn't a crane fly.

This thing is probably chrysalis rather than larva, is bright shiny
brown, earwig colour, pointed at one end.

The crane fly grub is the leatherjacket, but I'm pretty sure it pupates
into such a form as described.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from June Hughes contains these words:

I always thought crane flies were daddy-long-legs but am willing to
stand corrected. Why are they foes?

Crane fly = daddy-longlegs.

Sounds more like a leatherjacket to me, and I thought they were foes.

Well, I think the accepted meaning of leatherjacket is the lava of the
crane-fly, but in my circle the pupa has always been known as that.

Howsomedever, I think it'll become a crane fly/ddy-ll)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Pam Moore contains these words:

No way have you described an earwig or a leatherjacket.

Earwigs don't have a larval stage, and don't pupate. They emerge from
the egg as very miniature earwigs, and the mother cares for the brood.

I like earwigs, though they look quite fearsome in flight.

I once too two earwigs to the Dept of Entomology in the Natural History
Museum, and the curaror was delighted that I'd brought them alive, not
pinned to a piece of card.

Both had pincers the same length as their abdomens, but I was told that
this was not unusual in island populations. These came from the Isle of
Lewis.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes
The message
from June Hughes contains these words:

I always thought crane flies were daddy-long-legs but am willing to
stand corrected. Why are they foes?

Crane fly = daddy-longlegs.

Sounds more like a leatherjacket to me, and I thought they were foes.

Well, I think the accepted meaning of leatherjacket is the lava of the
crane-fly, but in my circle the pupa has always been known as that.

Oh, I'm so glad you said that! I was beginning to think that my father
and I were the only ones out of step ;-)

Howsomedever, I think it'll become a crane fly/ddy-ll)


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Was it like this?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P2/P21395.HTM

we get them in our garden - don't know what they are though
and I wish the site above gave more clues

Jill Tardivel

"Jill Tardivel" wrote in message
...
Was it like this?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P2/P21395.HTM

we get them in our garden - don't know what they are though
and I wish the site above gave more clues



it's amazing - that was exactly the photo that I was searching for. funny,
isn't it - you know exactly what you're after, sit with google in front of
you, but completely fail to describe something accurately in search-engine
terms!

I think the best chance for identifying them is to stick them in a container
and identify what emerges from it.

--
Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

RichardS wrote:
"Jill Tardivel" wrote in message
...

Was it like this?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P2/P21395.HTM

we get them in our garden - don't know what they are though
and I wish the site above gave more clues




it's amazing - that was exactly the photo that I was searching for. funny,
isn't it - you know exactly what you're after, sit with google in front of
you, but completely fail to describe something accurately in search-engine
terms!

I think the best chance for identifying them is to stick them in a container
and identify what emerges from it.

Bit frustrating in that this image fitted the things I find in my
garden regularly and sound like the insects found by the poster - but
the site that has the photo doesn't identify the insect (AARRGGHHH!!!).

Incidentally I googled with 'lepidoptera pupa' as the search terms,
having failed miserably with 'moth', 'butterfly' and 'chrysalis'

Jill Tardivel

Bing bing bing jackpot! That's exactly what my 'thing' looked like. I did a little bit more reading - which didn't tell me much, but I did find out that underground pupae are most likely to be moth cocoons.

Thanks!

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 9:41:03 +0100, RichardS wrote
(in message ):

"Jill Tardivel" wrote in message
...
Was it like this?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P2/P21395.HTM

we get them in our garden - don't know what they are though
and I wish the site above gave more clues



it's amazing - that was exactly the photo that I was searching for. funny,
isn't it - you know exactly what you're after, sit with google in front of
you, but completely fail to describe something accurately in search-engine
terms!

I think the best chance for identifying them is to stick them in a container
and identify what emerges from it.

Sorry, I'm only a bit over a week late in responding....

That photo shows what a typical moth (or butterfly) pupa looks like. You
won't see what kind until it emerges, but it could be pretty spectacular- the
hawk moth pupae look rather like this. FWIW I recognise this because in the
1950s when it was still considered ok to "collect" butterflies and moths, I
did so and I also nursed several large caterpillars found in the wild into
adulthood. If you bear in mind that the pupa potentially contains the entire
full-sized adult butterfly or moth but with the wings in a deflated and thus
very thin and wispy state laid flat against the body, you'll get an idea of
the final size. When it emerges, the wings inflate with blood, generally
attain a size much bigger than the rest of the insect, and then dry and go
hard- it is a wonderful thing to watch. It could be something other than a
moth- many other insects have pupal stages too- but that photo was a
"lepidoptera" (butterfly or moth) pupa.

--
VX (remove alcohol for email)