What kind of maggots can that be?
There are innumerable species of insects that lay their eggs in the ground, where the larvae can feed and develop themselves after they hatch. However, we are now concentrating our gaze on species that can seriously damage your potted plants - because you usually don't need to worry about the rest.
also read
- Are those maggots in my lawn?
- Maggots in compost - how can this be prevented?
- What are these white maggots in the earth?
If you come across large, white, worm-like animals in the substrate while looking for the cause of caring tub plants, it is most likely not maggots, but larvae of certain types of beetle. Maggots form a special group within the insect larvae: They are characterized by a very underdeveloped, naked body appearance without any limbs, not even a head capsule is formed in them.
Are the dubious inhabitants of your flower pot tall, thick-fleshed, whitish with a darker front (and rear) part and possibly with 3 pairs of sternum bones? Then you are probably dealing with the following pests:
- Grubs
- Weevil larvae
Grubs
The larvae of the beetle superfamily Scarabaeoidea are called grubs. In our latitudes relevant species are mainly May, June and garden leaf beetles. Your larvae feed on the roots of living plants and can cause damage to the lawn, bedding plants and even potted plants.
Vine weevil larvae
The larvae of black weevil do not belong to the grubs, but also not to the maggots. The black weevil, which belongs to the weevil family, is a common and therefore feared pest in agriculture and private gardening. In addition to dead plant material, it also unfortunately eats the roots of living plants.
What to do?
A potted plant infested by white grubs or black weevil larvae should first be removed from the planter and searched the earth for the pests. Search as thoroughly as possible and collect the guys. In the case of heavy infestation and plants with dense roots, you can use the water jet from your garden hose and, if necessary, flush the roots completely free.
If the roots are very difficult because the roots are too narrow, you can also use predatory nematodes. The parasitic roundworms colonize grubs and vine weevil larvae and kill them.
