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Hello Project Noah members, I'm new here so I hope this all works well .. :-). I have found some larvae and pupa in the soil I used to grow strawberry in until last week. I wondered if this is from a beetle related to strawberries, say a strawberrybeetle ( Anthonomus rubi? ). or is it something entirely else?? These are approx 4 to 5 mm length. Would be very pleased and gratefull for your help in defining these ... Thanks in advance, Best regards, Seth.
Soil under strawberry plants.
9 Comments
Well amazing, thank you very much, I'm very pleased with your answer ... I'll have to do some more photography on these then, I have already isolated a few of them from the flower container with some soil so I will be able to follow the development and final appearence. Let's hope they'll hatch (?) ... to be continued :-). I'll take a look at the False Darkling Beetle first thing tomorrow, signing off for now, thank you very much !
Seth, I am fairly sure this is a beetle larva and pupa. There is a good chance that they are of the same species but I can't say for sure. It is possible that they could be different species. If you can keep them until they hatch (at least the pupa), it would help with an ID.
I have been browsing local beetle references but there aren't a lot of images of the larvae and pupae that are identified. They looks similar to False Darkling Beetles, Family Melandryidae, but that is totally a guess.
That's about all I have at this time.
I just wondered, could it be that these are two different species? The pupa does have likeness with a bee like insect while the other one .... ?
Hihi, yes, amazing creatures, colours and beautiful pictures!
haha, it is very easy to lose a day or two sitting on here watching all the new spottings coming through! it is very addictive but has a great community.
Oh I'm patient :-) .... thank you. If I can stare at one bug for an hour in my little roofgarden it will take me several days before I have finished looking at all the beautiful pictures here :-), and more. Your most kind, thank you !
With this being a global site people are on at all times of the day depending on where they live etc but they won't have forgotten about you it just sometimes takes a while for the right expert to come on line and find the spotting you posted :-)
Hi Debbie, thank you, I'll keep my fingers crossed .... and the larvae isolated, inspite of them being quite nicely shaped with all the little details that show like wings etc. :-).
Hi Seth, I'm sure that one of the bug experts on here will be able to help you identify this soon :_)