little orange cocoons?

[janeyo]

I am digging out the soils for the new beds and have come across several little orangy red cocoon things. They look like maggot cocoons (I remember from my brother's fishing days!) same sort of size, not much bigger than a large grain of rice.

Anyone got any clues as to what they might turn into and if I need to worry if this is where I had planned my veggies?

Thanks

janeyo

ps any I found I chucked to the chickens and they loved gobbled them up!

[jeannine]

If you Google 'ladybird larvae images' you'll see shots of the cocoons of 7 spot ladybrids which are orangey in colour - if they are ladybird cocoons then they're a good thing to have among your veg, so fingers crossed!

[Two_Sheds]

Do ladybirds cocoon in the soil? This photo shows it on a plant:
Stock Photography image of Ladybird , emerging from the cocoon stock photo

[janeyo]

I have looked at the ladybird pics and they don't look similar.

To me they look just like maggots when you have had them for weeks and forgotten about them in the pot and when you open it up it's full of little orange hard cocoon things - couldn't think of another way to describe them! lol

Will keep searching and hope they are not too nasty..... it did used to be a veg garden about 7 years ago and before so maybe things are still lurking from then?

janey

ps not my maggots I hasten to add that I forgot about, but my brother when fishing took second place to girls, LOL

[cottage garden]

I have them too. But sorry, don't know what they are

[Cutecumber]

Yes, me too - I am ashamed to say I have never actually looked them up.

I expect that they become some kind of mealworm type beetle - or at least I hope they are something harmless like that!

My suggestion is that we all take one and put it in a jamjar... and see what it becomes!

[jeannine]

What a good idea - keep us posted!