Unknown worm

[Whitdadie]

Hello, I was out worm hunting tonight (for fishworms to feed my herps/go fishing with) and I have come across some strange worms. I live in northern New York so maybe that will help identify what they are. They are fat little buggers that range from dark brown to BRIGHT green. They have small lines in this pattern: - - - - - running down both sides of they body. I attached a picture also. Im guessing they are the larva of a moth or butterfly but not sure what one, or if they even are. And, do you think they are safe to feed to pets? I plan to keep a few of them to see what they turn out at (I have found about 2 doz so far!). Thanks and hope someone can help

 

[Bob the thief]

If you dont know what it is or where its been , dont feed it and those are not worms there larve

 

[Wade]

Hard to tell from the pic, but I'd guess either some type of beetle, or possibly fly larvae. Beetle's my frirst guess, espesially if you found them in the ground.

Wade

 

[Whitdadie]

They wernt in the ground, they were just crawling all over the grass (above ground). They are pretty large so that is what makes me thing they are not beetle larva, but i dont know much about beetle larva. The bigger ones are about an inch and a half to two inches with a thickness of my pinky. I guess the best bet would be to just try and keep them alive till one (or more) change. Cool, thanks for the help though!

 

[Wade]

Crawling on the grass does sound a little more catepillar-like. Do they have the suction-cup like legs in the back in addition to the clawed legs up front? That would tend to indicate catepillar rather than beetle.

Some beetle larvae are quite large..I raise eastern hercules beetles, and the larvae can be more than three inches long and the size of a golf ball when curled up! Other scarabs also have very large larvae, but generally you wouldn't find them crawling around on the surface.

Wade

 

[blackacidevil]

They have that certain shiny larvae look but I guess they could've been on moist grass, huh? IMO they look like larvae....for what....who knows?

Keep us posted on what they become. Beetle or Butterfly

 

[Whitdadie]

Hello again, sorry it took so long to reply. I think I was having problems with the site or something. Maybe it wasnt just me, but yeah. The worms DO have suction cup like legs in the back in addition to the claw like legs in the front so from what was said, im guessing its a catepillar to something. Any tips on keeping catepillars? I have them in a large coffee can that is half filled with moist peet moss w/ shaved carrots and grass on top. They seem to be hanging out on the grass a lot and chewin on it. They are in my basement right now also to keep them cool, but im not sure if this is needed, if it isnt then i would much rather have them up here in one of my spair tanks. Any ideas? I wonder what they turn into.. hmmm...

 

[Wade]

If they seem to be eating the grass, they try to keep them with a fresh supply. They trick to rearing catepillars is finding an acceptable food plant. I have also found that catepillars in general do not do well in a container that's not ventilated. When I rear catepillars, I prefer a screen cage, but a tank with a screen top may do. Substrate may or may not be needed. You probably want to keep it in there in case they are a species that pupates in the ground.

I am wondering if they may be some type of sphinx moth, although you'd normaly expect to see a horn-like projection at the rear of the animal.

Wade

 

[Whitdadie]

Well, I transfered them into a large critter keeper and put about 3-4 inches of peat moss stuff (it looks like durt) on the bottom. I also put in an object in there that they can hide in and climb up if they want to, so far they do not. I also put some baby carrots in there last night and there are two of them that are pretty nawed up, but i also have fishworms in there (do fishworms eat carrots?). One 1/4th has a thin layer of grass that i had pick when i collected them and there is a problem. It just dumped like 1/2 foot of snow yesterday and there is NO grass. Anyone wana send me up a box of grass? haha. Oh yeah, the buggers are diggers for sure. There is only one that has stayed on top and i believe this is a different larva all together. I thought it might be the same as the others just because i collected them together, but this one is bright green and is very small compaired to the others. This one is the only one that seems to like to stay above ground and hang out on the grass all the time. Well, just an update. Let me know if you think i should be doing anything else. BTW, they get along fine with the fishworms.. which i dont think is abnormal since they live in the same area outside, only thing is they are forced close together in captive. enjoy!

 

[Bob the thief]

let them go underground in peace they may be starting to pupate

 

[Whitdadie]

Do they pupate this early in the year? Hm... cool.. So should I just let them be underground until they come back up on their own?

 

[Bob the thief]

If theres no grass and there starting to curl up in a C shape underground its most likely there starting. It may not have to do with time of the year but more so tempature

 

[Whitdadie]

Hmm.. very cool. I dont think i am going to bother them to see if they are indeed curling up though. I think i will take your advice and leave them alone and see what happens! Do you have any idea how long this process takes? It is about 60F in my basement.

 

[Bob the thief]

depends on species try to find some of the same type of grass they ate and leave it at the top for them to feed simulate the outside enviorment as much as possible

 

[Whitdadie]

Originally posted by Bob the thief
depends on species try to find some of the same type of grass they ate

The problem with that is there is now about 1 foot of snow covering this whole area. It hit us like over night so there is NO grass visible. Do you think it would be just as good if i dug up the snow and got the grass under the snow, or has the snow on top of it basicly freezer burnt all the goodness out?