Yes it does. I have refrigerated this grub several times to slow it down. I was unaware they move like that. Doesn't make for a good macro subject. I'm going to try and pinpoint LED lighting soon. Do all grubs
move this way?

The back-walking makes it subfamily Cetoniinae, which I never would have guessed, and no, not all grubs move that way. I was told that they only genera in FL that would have a larva that large are Cotinis, Gymnetis or Protaetia. There are only one sp each in peninsular (non-Keys) FL, so if the genus can be figured out, the sp can be too.

What about what Brett Ratcliffe said about it being either Strategus or Dynastes? I've been trying to get my hands on keys to the entire family but the ones I've been able to find are books at the UC Davis library and since I'm in county extension I'm actually 4 hours away :-P I'm working on sending you that article Gary but the scanner seems to hate me.

as it was he who told me that a colleague of his, Jhon Neita, was the one who thought that it might be a cetoniine and to see if it was a back-crawler. I have the White Grubs and Their Allies book somewhere and I'll see what I can come up with. Do you think that you can rear it?

Thats exactly whats been on my mind. Either that or sending it to someone willing. Any instructions or suggestions on "rearing" much appreciated. With alittle looking and digging, I'm pretty sure another can be located. What time frame are we looking at till this makes it's change? Thank you.

so I would think its probably a 3rd instar larva (Thats the last instar, most scarabs go through 3 stages as larvae.) and many of them begin emerging as adults early may, June, through the summer. Without knowing exactly what it is its hard to be more than just general. I'm horrible at rearing things too...

I found this interesting website on breeding and rearing Goliathus, another large scarab, and it has a section on rearing dynastinae and cetoniinae.

http://www.naturalworlds.org/scarabaeidae/manual/Scarabaeidae_breeding_5.htm

Thanks Natalie. I will have a look.

to where?

but I'll move it to scarabaeidae until we figure out more.

It was found in sandy soil under a stepping stone in my backyard. I posted same pics on Dave's Garden. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1071179/
With feedback & the help of another link, I'm pretty sure it is Phyllophaga larvae. http://tinyurl.com/yaycktl
Thanks for the image comment.

Just on gestalt and size I'd say that some sort of dynastine would be more likely than a Phyllophaga/June beetle, although I could very well be wrong.

After more searching and following links I'm NOW leaning toward thinking this is Stategus antaeus - Ox Beetle.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/94821
http://bugguide.net/node/view/6277
Over the past 24 years I have seen many of these.
Feedback much appreciated.

Look at how hairy this larva is. Then look at the pictures of Stategus antaeus and notice how much smoother it is.

I think Blaine may be right, that without being able to really see the distinguishing characteristics, an ID past Scarabaeidae may never be made.

The apparent smoothness of the other one and the hairiness of this one has to do, at least in part, with lighting and image quality. I think that IDing it to species is premature, but it sure looks like that genus. I'll try to dig out a reference on these if no one more knowledgeable than me chimes in.

I can still see the hairs on both and it doesn't look like its just one is reflecting light and the other isn't. This specimen is definitely hairier than the ox beetle, and I know the arrangement of setae can be important in many larvae. From what I learned when taking taxonomy of immature insects I would not place it in that genus, but thats just me. If you have resources you can use and get a definite ID that'd be great.

Don't forget that there are multiple spp, 5 in Nomina Nearctica, of this genus and that larvae change in different instars. I agree that it should not be definitively placed in that genus with what we know now, although I still think that it looks like a dead ringer for at least the genus, but I suspect that it will be identifiable to at least genus once the right expert and/or reference is found.

As my comment below, I found a publication on the 3rd instar of S. syphax and the image of the head capsule is awesome and describes the positioning of setae and they match up with this specimen here, but not the images of S. antaeus present on the guide. It also has a key to 4 species of Strategus at the end of the article. I was also mistaken and thought you were saying you were sure it is S. antaeus so I'll read more carefully from now on :)

Bear with me, I'm young and still learning :-P

I'll take more shots tomorrow morning and adjust lighting. Any suggestions on angles or positions that would be helpful? Appreciate all the attention given to this grub. Here's another pic.

That new shot is good, but I would get some more of the mola, the "teeth" or just the mouth area in general, and get that comb of hairs on the ventral side of the last abdominal segment. The arrangement of hairs on the ventral area just before the anal opening is often very important. Others may have more suggestions.

Also I was comparing this to the other Strategus antaeus on bugguide, and found some very detailed drawings describing the head capsule of S. syphax. Unfortunately this has made me even more confused. The publication I found shows certain characteristics that the specimens in Strategus here on the guide are lacking. I do not know if they are characteristics that are present in all members of the genus, or only certain species though. So the images I found from an article published in the Coleopterists Society do look a lot like this specimen here, but not like the head capsule of S. antaeus specimens already in the guide. Look at this one's head capsule and compare it to the specimen you have posted and tell me if I'm just absolutely crazy that they don't look alike.



If you have an email you're willing to give out I can scan the publication with the images and send it to you.

Natalie, Additional quality shots are not coming easy. Have taken some more shots, but plan on taking more later. The grub is alive and gets active when placed under my lights. Instead of posting more on the site, if you want, I'll send additional images to you. I do not have the education you have. I'm an avid amateur photographer. This has become a controversial mystery, so far. I don't understand why it was moved so quick.
Thank You for the interest and help.
gary / macgr1@verizon.net

Many editors like to move images out of ID Request ASAP so that more experts may get a better look at the images. Some experts only go to the pages they are familiar with, and often don't visit ID Request. I'll get that article scanned and sent to you when I get home from work, and then feel free to send me the rest of those images!

http://floridagardener.com/critters/Insect_Pests/WhiteGrubs.htm

Thanks. Any idea on particular subfamily?

I tried to key it out using Ratcliffe and Paulsen (2008) but just cant see the features well in this image. I've done a lot with adult scarabs, but not much with the larvae, unfortunately. What was the length?

Please have a look at the links on Strategus antaeus/Ox Beetle, I added to this post. Feedback/opinion much appreciated.

1.5 inch

so it is posted on all of the pictures if someone is examining those instead.

I've posted this photo to try to help with the id:

But if it crawls on it's back it is a Cetonid.