What is this please and should I be afraid

[scarey55]

I was going to say should I be scared but that would just be too weird.

So... I saw these in the dirty bird bath and I wonder if anyone knows what they are. They are about 1cm and have tails that are about the same length. They are very active (squirming around a lot in a "huddle")

THOSE OF A SQUEAMISH NATURE don't enlarge the picture

[lynda66]

yup .... leg it .... they will eat you

[scarey55]

yup .... leg it .... they will eat you

Bu@@er, and I thought I could eat them

[pdblake]

Look like tadpoles to me

Bu@@er, and I thought I could eat them

You could maybe eat their legs when they're grown, you're in the right place for it

[shirlthegirl43]

I think it might be mosquito larvae.

[scarey55]

I think it might be mosquito larvae.

Look like tadpoles to me

Oh Noooo, now I don't know whether to keep them or kill them

You could maybe eat their legs when they're grown, you're in the right place for it

pmsl They do say - if it moves, the French probably have a recipe for it

[SarzWix]

This is a pic of mozzie larvae, do they look anything like that? (Look a bit similar I think..)

[scarey55]

Could well be Sarz, I didn't think they got that big - I think I will put the whole lot right down at the end of the garden and let nature take its course. That way, if they are goodies they will survive and if they are mossies, they will be far enough away not to bother me.

[nelliegemini]

I think it is the larva of a hoverfly, when I was a kid we called them 'rat tails' They breathe through the tail.

I'll try to attach a picture.

[scarey55]

Ooh, that looks a lot like them thank you. I have relocated them to the bottom of the garden but I might just put them near my broad beans so that they have some ready made aphids to feed on when they emerge

[Two_Sheds]

Oh, you don't want to read this: Intestinal Myiasis Caused by Eristalis tenax

[scarey55]

Eeuww! I know, I know, you said don't but, I couldn't help myself.

[indigox]

Nope, not mosquito larvae...
They are rat-tailed maggots -what a delightful name eh?