[paintedlady]

Last year I took on an overgrown (hip height with grasses and bramble) plot that had not been cultivated in at least 3 years.  Its been under black plastic sheeting since mid-August and last week I got down to some serious digging over.

While digging, I found some insect life that are a concern - obviously I expect many insects to bury themselves over winter particularly on undisturbed ground, but I found several fat (mottled greenish brown in colour) grubs about an inch in length, and what looked like a bleached white caterpillar (one and half inch long) with eight legs and a red head.

Are these friendly or did I do right by taking them out?

[hermon]

at a guess they could either be chafer grubs or stag beetle lavea have a look on the RHS website.

[WG.]

bleached white caterpillar (one and half inch long) with eight legs and a red head

Chafer grub.  Kill 'em.  Search this forum or google images to confirm the ID

[hermon]

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0402/chafer.asp

[paintedlady]

I've had a look at several web sites on chafer grubs - none look exactly like the grubs I dug up but all seemed to be a similar theme.  Thanks everyone for the information