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Public Forums => Outdoors => Topic started by: angiepoo on Jun 02, 09, 08:02:14 PM

Title: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: angiepoo on Jun 02, 09, 08:02:14 PM
Anyone know what kind of larvae is falling from the pine trees up here.  They are disgusting and are everywhere.  This seems to happen every year along with the yellow pollen.
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: angiepoo on Jun 05, 09, 02:45:48 PM
Has anyone looked into this???
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: cookiesforthree on Jun 05, 09, 03:20:11 PM
Okay Chicken Little.......  LOL
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: ChrisLynnet on Jun 05, 09, 03:21:05 PM
Eek! I haven't seen any myself. *looks suspiciously at her pine trees*
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Wrightwood on Jun 05, 09, 03:38:00 PM
I've asked your question to a forester from Calfire and will let you know when I hear back.

What type of pine tree is it?
Does the pine tree appear healthy?
Is there pine pitch coming from the tree?
What size are the larvae?

Photos?
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: robbyAV on Jun 05, 09, 06:15:12 PM
 ??? I  think its some kind of mushroom...


maybe.....
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: ChrisLynnet on Jun 05, 09, 06:43:26 PM
Yes, but is it magic?

 8)
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Stitches on Jun 05, 09, 10:20:10 PM
Now that you mention it, there has been some odd behavior from the Woodpeckers.    When I take the kids to school I take upper Lark down to Spruce.   Between Division and the swamp the Woodpeckers have been abundant.   That's not unusual because Woodpeckers hang out on that street all the time.   However, I've noticed in the past week or two that the birds have been in the street eating something.   Whatever this thing is must be really really good because the birds don't fly off until I'm almost on top of them.  Could it be that they are eating whatever this larvae is?   I hesitate to stop and check because the road is really narrow and curvy so there aren't too many places I could pull over and investigate.    However, I'm not a huge fan of slithering squirmy things anyway.   :P
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: rdnckgrl78 on Jun 06, 09, 12:19:14 AM
We are having the same problem.  Larve keep appearing in a chair we have on our front porch.
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: snwbnny on Jun 06, 09, 01:02:45 AM
Do they look like caterpillars? I read somewhere in some class I took that there are some sort of larvae that start as caterpillars and turn to some sort of moth that likes to eat pine needles. But I didn't think they were around here - they were back east or something. Couldn't tell you what they were though . . .
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Nolena on Jun 06, 09, 01:54:04 PM
Here's a link that might be helpful:
http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/insectid/pine-conifer.php

Ladybug larvae look like this.

(http://dailycompost.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/lady-bug-larvae.jpg)

Here's a list of nectar and pollen feeding insects, with links to pictures.
http://www.insectimages.org/browse/catsubject.cfm?cat=108
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Nolena on Jun 06, 09, 07:19:59 PM
Could they have looked like this?

(http://www.mondovista.com/mothman16.jpg)
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Nolena on Jun 06, 09, 07:22:01 PM
"Whatever this thing is must be really really good because the birds don't fly off until I'm almost on top of them."

I think they taste like chicken.

Could Cinchy have seen one of these, maybe late at night after a little "relaxation?"

(http://www.chenillemacabre.com/gallery/d/24-1/Fishman+and+Fly-Man.jpg)
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: ChattyCathy on Jun 06, 09, 07:28:26 PM
Every morning when I change the dog's water dish that is outside, it has little white larvae at the bottom of the bowl (with the yellow stuff floating on top).  I've wondered what the heck they are.  If that many fall in the water dish, there's got to be a bunch everywhere else.
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: angiepoo on Jun 07, 09, 03:55:45 AM
Thank you chatty cathy. So I'm not the only one to have seen them.  They are not lady bug larvae.  They are about the size of a grain of rice but kind of yellow and I too find them on our chairs outside.  On the deck and ground too.  I am really curious because they show up this time of year with the pollen.  We have 13 pine trees in our back yard and all seem to be healthy.  I don't have any photos of them though.
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Domingo on Jun 07, 09, 04:47:48 AM
Cinchy, if you can provide a photo, I'm sure somebody on the Forum will step forward with the identification of it. 
Title: Re: Larvae falling from trees?
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Jun 07, 09, 05:21:15 AM
This is a picture of bark beetle larvae.

(http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/forests/health/insects/images/mpb_larvae.jpg)