Good? Bad? or just Ugly? Compost Critters

[txdon]

Found these squiggly things in my two compost piles I was turning today. Are they beneficial?

 

[Redgoatea]

I don't know but they sure are nasty looking. Not sure I'd wanna touch 'em. 7

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Sure, they help with the decomposition process. I get the ones on the right in my pile too.

 

[/pine]

The ones on the right look like "leaf miner" larve...

 

[k0ua]

the fat ones look like some sort of beetle larvae , the ones on the right are maggots or fly larvae of some kind.
I am not an entomologist, and dont play one on tv, nor did I stay at a holliday inn last night, but that is what I think they are.
James K0UA

 

[beenthere]

People are known to eat the ones on the left. Say they taste like custard.

Not for me, but I find them in red oak trees that have decayed centers. Have heard they are good fish bait.
They eat and process compost, so can't imagine they would be bad for it. But then, maybe they leave you with less compost. ?? :confused3:

 

[jbooth]

The ones in the 1st picture will be June bugs someday. Good fishbait now and after they turn to June bugs.

 

[/pine]

hard to tell how big they are from the pictures...here is a pic of a Soy Bean leaf miner larva:

 

[charlz]

The ones on the right look like Black Soldier Fly larva and are considered beneficial. Interesting readying here:

Beneficial insects in the landscape: #51 Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens)

 

[/pine]

I find this search application very helpful when I'm unsure of what something might look like...
Google Images