What are these?
 

I got up this morning and my footpaths and driveway are infested with what looks to me like a cross between a caterpillar and a worm. There are hundreds of them and they seem to be trying to burrow into any holes in the tarmacadam / path etc. They're horrible things and its near impossible to not step on them ... yyyeeeuuucckkk!!!
Does anyone have ANY clue what they are and why / where they have come from???
Need rid of these!!!

My husband says that they are snails with their shells. He said the gather near the heat. We had the same problem. Hubby says they'll go away themselves.
Hope this helps.

Oh God Linn, they're absolutely horrible!! I'm awful squeamish ... especially when I step on them!!
I'm not questioning your hubby but they don't look like snails in that there is no slime and they kind of 'crawl' like caterpillars ... does that make any sense?? .... eeuuuccckk ... Feel my body crawling even as I'm describing them .....

If they are snails without their shells does that mean that they are homeless?? Sorry I couldn't resist it! I don't think I'd be too happy having them around either. Linn can you ask hubby what happened to their shells? I'm curious now.

Oh God, thay're not having my home!!!! They're all around the back door and getting into a little hole at the bottom of the step. I've never seen anything like them before. They kind of crawl/ squirm like a cross between a caterpillar and a worm ... an trying to google to see if I can find them

Don't think u will have many takers for these Only!

These little things came to Only
They were looking for a home
The looked so sad and lonley
They were all alone

The wriggled into her driveway
She asked us for help
They crawled into her life
And she let a big yelp

She has gone off to Google
To see what she can find
But lads you better watch out
She is after your behind!

Haaa haaa haaa Sabrina you are amazing :D

I'd put them up here if anyone would take them for sure ... I'd even gather them up ... and try not to throw up in the process. I can't even look at the picture of them without feeling nauseous- I'm serious!!!!

I think they're larvae of some sort, guessing moth or butterfly. I'm surprised the birds aren't having a feeding frenzy.......lol

I wish!!!! No birds in sight this morning but maybe thats because I've been in the kitchen near the patio door where they are. Will stay away and see is the troops arrive

Classic thread!!

Ive been told they are Gypsy Moth Larve but when I googled THEM..they have 'fur'..so I dunno now!!

ANOTHER suggestion is a Noctuid Moth!!

Is this the Guy??
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/CA25677D007DC87D/LUbyDesc/Ag0093e/$File/AG0093e.jpg

He's an Apple Moth.Looks similar..but he might be ONLY..(lol).. A cousin!!!

Thanks for the links Chucken ... don't think they are either of them ... they don't seem to have lots of little 'legs' like carerpillars (moth / butterfly larvae) ... I really want to know what they are ... am scared what they are going to turn into now!!!!! ... If they're this bad as 'babies' (and babies are usually cute!) what are the adults going to look like .... hheeelllppp!!!

Hi Only

We too woke up to these disgusting worms which took ova the driveway, except they were in their thousands....
Husband swept them all up and disposed of them, jeyes fluid is supposed to work wonders on them Hopefully they wont get into my green house as was told they bury down deep in soil and eat everything!...

Oh No!! I haven't checked the garden for them ... any idea where they came from?? Did any more come back after you swept them up?
As much as they repulse me I don't think I can kill them ... I know ... I'm silly - but I just can't :-(

my other half says they are (cabbage) caterpillas as we live in the country thats what they eat, but any flowers you have they will head for and eat, the splash of early sun we have had has made them mature early, they will become butterflys, but *1) how much damage will they do first and * 2) do you want that many cocoons all over your garden till then ? so my advice is a good dose of boiling water and block any holes around your door, hope i was of some help

They came in their tens
They came in and multiplied
Ugly uggy critters
Would they be nice pan fried

And then the birds would come to eat
Save Only from breakdown
These wriggly critters with legs
The birds would swallow them all down

But in the meantime
The Jeyes Fluid must come out
Then the critters will be murdered
of that there is no doubt!

I really really don't want them. I think I'll have to get hubby to deal with them later and 'pretend' he's not killing them .... looks like some of them have already burrowed into places because there aren't half as many out there now ... uuuggghhh

Now how on earth did I miss this when I posted last!!!
Sabrina you have no conscience taunting me like this :D :D
...

Only wants rid
or she'll have a fit
Jeyes fluid or not
it'll have to be hot

She'll be up for conviction
for murderous intensions
twas not her fault
she was drove to default

If Sabrinabray has her way
they'll be gone in the morn

cabbage caterpillars
 

I wonder woukld shavings of a citronella candle keep them away? You know how burning citronella does for midges in summer? My husband says to put salt in all the holes!

yeah hated killing them but felt we were over infested, they def came from the garden and im thinking that they came out after the rain as we hadnt some for long time-though thats just my thinking. hope we dont have the same infestation tomoro morn-wishful thinking!!

Aahh Nooooo - I hadn't thought of more coming!!! Got DH to sweep them up and get rid of them ... I really really don't fancy having to tip toe around more tomorrow morning!

I asked the neighbour this evening if she had any problems with these things and she hasn't so I'm wondering what attracted them to my house?!

I think they are leatherjackets, which are the larvae of crane fly or daddy long legs. the eggs are laid in the grass, larvae hatch underground and feed on the grass roots, probably came out because of the heavy rains last night. perfectly harmless, just leave them to the birds

sue

Sue, that's them!!!! I googled leatherjackets and found pics and thats definately what they are! Thank you!!!
It seems they can do awful damage to grass too.
I just can't figure out why there were so many on the footpath and tarmacadam near the house - well away from the lawn - the footpath has only just been powerwashed and sealed a week ago so the eggs couldn't have been there up to now ... just can't figure it??

Omg
 

I'm not going to sleep now after seeing them.. They are not moving in the picture but its the idea of their movement, the fact that they move in such a way ... Eugh... i love all animals, creatures.. just not these or anything that resembles a maggot! :) Good luck disposing of them..

I know exactly how you feel Bawnie - and they didn't look any better moving let me tell you! I couldn't eat breakfast this morning after seeing them ... horrible little things and I have the creeps even thinking about them!
... And I'm an animal lover too ... but after reading what they do to grass (and looking at my own lawn and knowing now what they do - they have definately done damage - I have some totally brown patches but I had blamed that on weedkiller I used late last year to get rid of clumps of weeds - I think now that its these larvae that have done it! ... Think I'll be getting an insecticide one of the days to deal with them BUT .... and heres the horrible bit ... when they die they apparently come to the surface so you have to get rid of the 'bodies' .... eeeeuuuucccckkkkkkkk!!!!!

Corpses-well at least they wont be moving! :) I'd get the hoover out!! :) Good luck with it & i've learned a lot about those tonight.. bleugh!! :( Half laughing, trying to see the positives in this discussion.. :)

Well thats two of us wiser tonight then :-)
Good idea on the hoover ... will have to send hubby out ... what are the chances of him hoovering the entire lawn though ... can't get him to do a tiny room never mind the lawn lol ... will have to figure something out though because I can't abide the little buggers and I wouldn't have the stomach for hoovering them up thats for sure!

Wriggley Worms
 

Great Thread- Love the poems Sabrina you are a wonder.
Yuck Glad they not burrowing in to my house.
Hope your neighbours aren't watching your husband vacuming the garden- they'll think he's nuts.
My husband had to vacum our back garden last week ( 3year old V's glass table - 3year old won- but glass everywhere) esp down the crevices of teh cobbleblock.
I swept it but Husband had to vacum the rest up- Neighbour looking as us really strangely this week- mmm Wonder why

maggots
 

Will you post if I send on S.A.E. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

leatherjackets
 

Well Talulah40 correctly identified these,the best way to deal with them is to let the birds loose.
Cover the ground with black plastic when you remove it in the morning they should waiting to allow the birds to dine on them.
It is a great way to encorage birds to the garden,they will keep the problem in check.
Just a word of caution if you use an insectiside it can affect the birds.
Birds actually do alot more damage control,than they are given credit for.

worms
 

Only, take your salt shaker and sprinkle some salt over each one, just like you do with slugs. Hopefully that will kill them.

only, they will be gone soon, so don't worry about them too much, they are changing into adults at the moment, i think you were just unfortunate that we had such heavy rains, this is what brought them up to the surface, as far as using insecticide goes i wouldn't bother. they are not something to worry about in the average lawn, more a problem for golf courses on greens and the like. If you look in fields around the country at this time of the year you may notice large nos of birds especially rooks feeding on grassland, leatherjackets are what they are after, they love them!

sue

daddy long legs
 

Hi

I would be tempted to think that they were leatherjackets too. If you tread on one they should pop as they have a tough skin. As suggested the birds love them. Here's a bit about them.....from leatherjacket to cranefly.

Crane flies or daddy long legs are among the creatures that cause the most panic in a bedroom, apart from probably spiders, that is. Attracted by the light, they fly in the window and start to flap against lampshades. Apart from this they do no harm at all. Craneflies are merely large flies. They do not feed as adults, nor do they bite or sting.

The damage these insects do is when they are in the ground. The female lays her eggs in September, usually in the lawn. The resulting, larvae, called leatherjackets, feed on the roots of plants. They continue to feed throughout the winter and the spring. Identifying the pest is easy. They are dark grey in colour, about 1inch long (2.5cm) and look as though they have no head. In lawns that are effected you will notice that grass growth slows and yellow patches appear, the grass is easily pulled up, with little or no root growth and starlings peck at the grass in an attempt to eat the grubs


CONTROL
You can dig the grubs out of the ground and leave them out on the patio for the birds (I have tried feeding them to the gecko but she won’t touch them), but this proves to be far too messy and time consuming. Another method I find very useful is to put a large sheet of black plastic on the affected area and leave overnight. In the morning when the sheet is lifted there will be the offending leatherjackets ripe for the bird table. There are natural products on the market to kill the leatherjackets. They contain a parasitic nematode called steinernema feltiae, which kills leatherjackets but is harmless to children, wildlife and pets. They are effective when the soil is above 10°c / 50°f, so do it soon if that is the route you want to go down.

Good luck

Aaah poor Only , if only you lived closer i could borrow a few hundred chickens or turkeys and lend them to you ... they'd be gone so quickly .... but lots of yeuchy mess left from the birds ....


How about spraying the whole area with weed and bug killer!!! ;-} hope you get rid soon .....

Love the comedy Sabrinabrayghostie :-) ...


Shame there are no Aussies near you ...they'd eat them ... and love them


SPRAY .... is my answer ... or ill send you my kiddies, they will love to pick them up and step on them ....



Love Summersun xxx

Yuck!!
 

What a horrible picture on a Monday morning! Anyways, here's how to do it.... and for any people who do the "its cruel" jab...its better than walking on them, good god, that sensation is stomach churning! Before you go to bed (if thats when they're in their army load...a drum of salt, and throw it very generously everywhere. The sound isn't the best, so maybe get your husband to do it. Its like a squeeling squishy sound. Drum loads of salt girl, in the shrubbery, garden, walls, you name it. The following morning will tell alot. They will be dead, but the salt kinda dries them up, so no squishy bodies to walk over before going to work. Unless, you do the boiling water and Jeyes fluid, but there's a lot of cleaning after. With the salt, it dries them out and the birds eat them. They look like snails (without their houses-homeless snails-had to laugh at that comment), but would treat them as snails, burn the feckers to death.....;)

Hi, I could be very wrong but these may be the larvae of the Cranefly (?) which is commonly called the Daddy Long Legs (I think). Have fun and check it out.

slurp!!
 

You'd never know where they came from ...Keep an eye out for a tiny spacesip nearby .
Put one in a jamjar and send it to a lab
or put a good closeup of one on youtube .
Put one into a goldfish bowl and see who eats who .
Maybe they'd make good fish bait
You could make a few bob , selling them to a tackle shop ??

Well I got up this morning and there were only a few around - and when I came home at lunch time I'd say the birds had got them.
I haven't looked in the garden for more ... I'm kind of afraid to :-O
I think I'll leave them be and hope to God no more appear ... it's a total mystery where they came from!

butterfly.
 

hi had same last year.
found out 2 weeks later they were caterpillor's
and thurned out to be lovely butterflys.