Fat white Grubs

Hi there--

As I've been digging up my garden and amending it these past few weeks, I've been coming across these very fat white grubs, burrowed underground......Will try and take a pic of one, next time I come across them. Per my reading, they are most likely going to turn into beetles.....?June beetles.....or the dreaded Japanese beetles? Any thoughts, comments, experiences with these, and what they most likely are. I'm going to start squishing them with my shoe or shovel when I come across them for now on, because it seems unlikely that they will turn into something beneficial....I know there is a specific bug forum, but it seems more likely that someone regionally will know what I'm talking about. I had no problems with any insects in my garden last year except aphids on my brassicas. But would hate to get some kind of beetle outbreak.

kosk

Kosk, how big are they? Vine weevils start as little fat white grubs. Generally you will find them at the roots of plants and there will be more than one in the same general area. If you find them, definitely squish them. Search and destroy.

That being said, there are also carnivorous ground beetles that are helper insects in the garden. Your best bet is to post a photo along with a description of where you found it and whether it was a single larvae or part of a large 'herd'.

I have never seen a japanese beetle in this area. I'm not sure about Salem.

They are large enough that they look like the ones contestants are forced to eat on the television show "Survivor", 1 and 1/2 to two inches long x very chubby. Will hopefully get a pic. Now I am done pulling out all of the orchard grass/ turf which seems to be where they were living underground (and what they were probably eating) so I don't know if I'll come across anymore to photograph.

I suspect May flies. They will eat the roots and kill the grass. The life cycle will emerge in the end of May.

That rules out the weevils. I think may flies do their larval stage in the water. Don't they make those little casings out of small bits of rocks and debris?