What's this worm? Good or bad? Thanks.

[openoffice]

found a few under some bricks.

 

[Tetters]

That looks like a leatherjacket to me. When/if it grows up it will/may become a crane fly, or daddy longlegs

 

[Beverly]

The first photo looks like an army worm to me. You might search images and look for army worm to confirm. Also i a sure there will be more responses. The second photo does not look to me like it is the same. They are blending nicely into the background

 

[Tetters]

The first photo looks like an army worm to me. You might search images and look for army worm to confirm. Also i a sure there will be more responses. The second photo does not look to me like it is the same. They are blending nicely into the background

Do you actually have 'army worm' in America? I thought it was confined to the African countries and was a problem with maize. I cannot see any stripes on this one.

 

[Tetters]

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/crane-fly-identification-guide-a-621.html

 

[Beverly]

Yes @Tetters, army worms do a lot of damage to crops in the US. I have them here in Mexico as well.

 

[Tetters]

Oh yuk..... I don`t think we have them here, I hope not - please don`t send any over thanks...

 

[Beverly]

Okay time to call in the big guns... @Chuck what do you think of the first photo? Do you agree Army worm on that one?

 

[Beverly]

Tetters:I cannot see any stripes on this one.

I see the stripes.

 

[openoffice]

Thanks guys for the replies.

I think they are crane fly larvae. I though they are cutworm. This article is very good to explain the difference.

http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/pastpest/articles/200303b.html

Approximately the same color and size of a fourth-instar black cutworm, crane fly larvae are dark colored, with poorly developed heads and fleshy projections around the tail end of the body. The distinct difference between crane fly and black cutworm larvae is the legs. Crane fly larvae are legless, whereas a black cutworm larva has three pairs of true legs on the thorax behind the head and fleshy prolegs on the abdominal segments. Black cutworm larvae also have a well-developed head and no tail-end projections. Once again, it's important to remember that correct identification of insects and accurate diagnosis of potential insect problems save time and money in the long run

 

[Durgan]

It looks like an European Crane Fly or Texas Mosquito. One year they were so thick in my garden that I could get handfuls from a water logged hole. They destroyed almost all my seedlings, when planted out. They are relatively new to Canada. It took awhile to identify the beast. I knew not what to do. Then my yard was filled with starlings and blackbirds about four times a day around 100 per visit for about ten days. I watched with binoculars one bird eat about 15 in one minute. Suddenly the leatherjackets were all gone and I never had such an infestation again. That was ten years ago. I shiver thinking about the situation.

 

[openoffice]

That's interesting experience. I thought Crane Fly larva is good for just eating decomposing stuff.

It looks like an European Crane Fly or Texas Mosquito. One year they were so thick in my garden that I could get handfuls from a water logged hole. They destroyed almost all my seedlings, when planted out. They are relatively new to Canada. It took awhile to identify the beast. I knew not what to do. Then my yard was filled with starlings and blackbirds about four times a day around 100 per visit for about ten days. I watched with binoculars one bird eat about 15 in one minute. Suddenly the leatherjackets were all gone and I never had such an infestation again. That was ten years ago. I shiver thinking about the situation.

 

[Chuck]

Okay time to call in the big guns... @Chuck what do you think of the first photo? Do you agree Army worm on that one?

Nope, I don't think it is an army worm. Looks more like a crane fly larvae to me.
IME army worms are only found in huge numbers. Here in Texas they will completely devour acres overnight and to do that is the name, Army Worm. Plus the Army worms I have seen have distinguishing colored stripes and that first picture is just too drab colored for army worms.

 

[Beverly]

Thanks so much @Chuck I believe i had it incorrectly id'd some years ago in the garden, so it is good to get this sorted out.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks so much @Chuck I believe i had it incorrectly id'd some years ago in the garden, so it is good to get this sorted out.

They both do the same thing, eat everything in sight, but army worms go for foliage and crane flies go for roots.