Fairly large grub ID needed

[bhamgreg]

He was found a few days ago under a hardwood log in central Alabama.

I really want to try to keep him alive and see if he pupates. Hes in a jar of moist soil like i found him in.

sorry for some of the pics being fairly cruddy i can get more if needed.

 

[davidbarber1]

It looks somewhat like what we call a "cutworm" in CA. But it's a little larger. Let me see if I can look it up in one of my books when I get home from work.

David

 

[bhamgreg]

THX i think it might be a wood borer of some kind but hes pretty damn large.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

That's either the elephant stag beetle or the red-brown stage beetle. Can't be anything else. There is a way to tell which of the two by the head capsule but the pictures aren't that clear. The grubs are the same size for both species despite the difference in mandible structure. If you check the rear sides of the abdomen you can tell if it's a male or female.

 

[davidbarber1]

E & A are correct. I could not find the grub in my books so I looked it up. Go to this page -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dansflickr/131817177/

David

 

[bhamgreg]

oh how awesome. I guess i need to go find a pile of rotting hard wood for him to munch on.

I think there may have been female adults under the log. I thought they were bess beetles because they were so many bess beetles but these were brown. I'll have to go look.

 

[bhamgreg]

How do i tell this fellas gender? Heres the new pics