HELP!!!! Soil maggots!!

HungryFish

We have recently started doing our garden. In our house 4 years and have just seeded a lawn. All ready for growing some lovely plants and veggies BUT our topsoil seems to have an infestation of soil maggots. Now around this time last year we had the same problem with the little soil that was in the garden (only got new topsoil last week) and they seemed to go away on their own but now the problem is much much worse. They're everywhere, more so in the last couple of days since its been raining!! Can anyone offer any advice on how to get rid of these pesky buggers? Any advice much appreciated!!!

looksee

You will have to be more specific - soil maggots is not a sufficient description. Any chance of a photo? What size are they, colour, shape - are they curled or straight - etc.

HungryFish

looksee wrote: »

You will have to be more specific - soil maggots is not a sufficient description. Any chance of a photo? What size are they, colour, shape - are they curled or straight - etc.

I don't have any pictures at the moment. They can be straight or curled. They're about 1.5-2cm long. They're fairly fat maybe 3-4mm in diameter and they're brown

looksee

They sound like the grubs of cranefly grubs, aka leatherjackets. https://www.google.ie/search?q=crane+fly+grub&rlz=1C1AVNC_enIE603IE603&espv=2&biw=1170&bih=571&tbm=isch&imgil=rTc6ArtCZGdJEM%253A%253BdfEIyJLYpwpJ6M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fsomethingscrawlinginmyhair.com%25252F2011%25252F04%25252F09%25252Fcrane-fly-pupa-and-a-medley-of-possible-adult-forms%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=rTc6ArtCZGdJEM%253A%252CdfEIyJLYpwpJ6M%252C_&usg=__X3IrYCLMlM6DqdG14o3RJE3BtqI%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiR29_fnO3RAhXoJcAKHemqAKIQyjcIMA&ei=yvOQWJHOK-jLgAbp1YKQCg#imgrc=rTc6ArtCZGdJEM%3A does this look like them? Ah for heavens sake that is a ridiculous link, I hope it shortens

Anyway, birds love them! I'm not sure there is a lot you can do with chemicals, but while they will eat the roots of grass, they turn into daddylonglegs and fly away, though of course they may stop and lay the eggs for the next batch, but there is that chance anyway.

HungryFish

looksee wrote: »

They sound like the grubs of cranefly grubs, aka leatherjackets. https://www.google.ie/search?q=crane+fly+grub&rlz=1C1AVNC_enIE603IE603&espv=2&biw=1170&bih=571&tbm=isch&imgil=rTc6ArtCZGdJEM%253A%253BdfEIyJLYpwpJ6M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fsomethingscrawlinginmyhair.com%25252F2011%25252F04%25252F09%25252Fcrane-fly-pupa-and-a-medley-of-possible-adult-forms%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=rTc6ArtCZGdJEM%253A%252CdfEIyJLYpwpJ6M%252C_&usg=__X3IrYCLMlM6DqdG14o3RJE3BtqI%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiR29_fnO3RAhXoJcAKHemqAKIQyjcIMA&ei=yvOQWJHOK-jLgAbp1YKQCg#imgrc=rTc6ArtCZGdJEM%3A does this look like them? Ah for heavens sake that is a ridiculous link, I hope it shortens

Anyway, birds love them! I'm not sure there is a lot you can do with chemicals, but while they will eat the roots of grass, they turn into daddylonglegs and fly away, though of course they may stop and lay the eggs for the next batch, but there is that chance anyway.

Attached a picture. This one came out of my dogs bed!!

looksee

No pic?

HungryFish

looksee wrote: »

No pic?

I've tried to upload a pic from my phone but the file is too big apparently. Have to try get it up another way

HungryFish

OK heres a pic of the little buggers

looksee

Yes that looks like a leatherjacket. I think the only solution is nematodes, but I don't know anything about them, if they last in the soil for example. Starlings are the best cure (they have to be useful for something! ) and blackbirds and thrushes. Maybe someone else can help you with the nematodes.

HungryFish

looksee wrote: »

Yes that looks like a leatherjacket. I think the only solution is nematodes, but I don't know anything about them, if they last in the soil for example. Starlings are the best cure (they have to be useful for something! ) and blackbirds and thrushes. Maybe someone else can help you with the nematodes.

I was reading about nematodes. Tbh I don't like the idea of I trouncing round worm to the garden especially with 2 doggies running around the place. Thank you for the help though. Much appreciated

greasepalm

thinking nematodes are usually in the later spring/summer and not in winter as there bred in labs.

http://www.thegardenshop.ie/how-to-control-against-leather-jackets/

Marhay70

An old remedy from the late and much lamented Geoff Hamilton was to water the soil in the evening and then cover the are with old carpet, tarpaulin, black plastic or such and then at first light take it off. This will attract the larvae to the surface of the ground and you can pick them off and destroy them or go inside and watch the birds do it for you. Repeat as necessary.