These are the larvae of scarab or cock-chafer beetles. They were removed from the soil they were dug out of and placed on asphalt for the sake of this photo.
McMaugh refers to the larvae as white curl grubs. They are whitish with an orange-brown distinct head and long jointed legs. They usually rest curled into a semi-circle. Most larvae feed on plant roots, but some feed around the base of low-growing plants. Strawberry plants may have their roots eaten right to the crown. They can be a serious problem in potted plants. A wide range of plants are attacked.
Control is achieved naturally through birds, fungal and viral diseases, predaceous insects like ground beetles. In potted ornamentals and in turf they can be controlled by fenamiphos granules (Lawn Beetle Killer) applied as directed.
Beetles mate in summer and eggs are laid in soil usually where there is no thick grass cover. beetles form a tunnel to the surface and emerge at night to feed on leaves which they chew off at ground level. Feeding continues through summer, autumn and winter. In late spring, the larvae pupate and the next generation of adults emerge in summer.
Ref : Judy McMaugh, pg. 139, 209
These are controlled fairly effectively with low environmental impact products such as parasitic nematodes that are commercially available in Australia. These are much better on the soil ecosystem than the Lawn Grub killers.
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