Occasionally, a day at work can take an unexpected turn due to a surprising discovery. That potential is heightened when you garden for a living.
A Redditor took to the r/whatisthisbug subreddit to get to the bottom of a huge grub they found while checking a client’s plants.
Photo Credit: Reddit
“Found this monstrosity in the soil (New Hampshire). Any ideas?” they wrote alongside a picture of the grub in their hand.
In the post, the professional gardener added, “I’ve never come across anything this size before.” Considering the thing’s proportions, maybe that isn’t so shocking.
There wasn’t consensus from the community. Some posters said it was a Hercules beetle, while others guessed scarab beetle, stag beetle, and June beetle, among other things.
It is likely that the big grub was a positive visitor to the garden. Ground beetles are generally welcome in gardens since their larvae and adult forms help control an array of insects, including pests, as the Farmers’ Almanac detailed.
However, other insects, such as Japanese beetles and squash bugs, are invasive or could cause major damage to plants. The OP decided to escort the big grub back to whence it came.
“I was working at a customer’s house … so I just put it back in the soil where it wouldn’t be disturbed,” they revealed in a comment.
Part of attracting beneficial insects that can aid in pest control is putting in native plants such as dill that can bring in lady bugs and other helpers to your garden to feast on pests including aphids. That allows you to avoid detrimental solutions such as pesticides that wreak havoc on local ecosystems.
Natural pest control is always preferred. Redditors had a range of reactions to the OP’s discovery and handling of the massive grub.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
“It looks like something Timon and Pumbaa would eat,” a user said in reference to the famous meerkat-warthog duo from “The Lion King.”
“Eat it,” an adventurous Redditor suggested.
“Aww, put the chunky beetle baby back in the dirt,” a compassionate one stated.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD’s exclusive Rewards Club.
Comments are closed.