Beetle Or Borer Larvae

Sorry for the delay in responding to your question. This is the larva stage of either a beetle or a an insect called a borer (because it bores into tree/shrubs). Not all beetles are harmful to plants, but borers are. Since we can’t see any specific identifying characteristics in this photo, we can’t make a specific species ID. We recommend that you keep your eyes open for more organisms like this in the soil, and/or look for damage on the tree/shrub trunks (like oozing wounds or trail damage in the bark). If you find numerous grubs in the soil you’ll want to pick them out as much as possible and refer to the links we’ve provided. Same with tree damage – look for the specific signs as outlined in the info. If you want it ID’d to species you can take a sample (sealed in a bag) to your local Agricultural Dept office and they’ll send it off to the county entomologist (who ID’s insects) and send you a response for free.