What on earth is this?

[Susie]

Found today in soil in the garden. There were a couple of these. Both about 8 - 10 mm long at a guess. I would be interested to know what they were - they looked a tiny bit like grasshoppers.

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Susie

Found today in soil in the garden. There were a couple of these. Both about 8 - 10 mm long at a guess. I would be interested to know what they were - they looked a tiny bit like grasshoppers.

Edit - since posting the above I have done a bit of reading up and it does appear to be some kind of grasshopper (or something similar) which has just hatched from its egg case (see far right corner).

[badgerwatcher]

Oh, how fascinating, Susie. Were they alive?

[Susie]

The one I saw (pictured) wasn't moving but it didn't appear to be dead either (if that makes any sense).

[eucera]

These look like pupae to me of some sort - so that would rule out all the insect orders that don't exhibit full metamorphosis.

The eyes are always the first part to darken up prior to emergence.

Stuart

[Susie]

Any idea of what it is likely to be?

[Lords and Ladies]

I'm out of my depth on this but it looks a bit like a wasp or bee pupae.

You could try raising it to see was it is

[Susie]

Thanks.

If it is still there and still alive I may try that.

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, it looks like a grasshopper but to large to be emerging from an egg and grasshoppers don't pupate..... it would, therefore, have recently shed a skin?

[nightshade]

It puts me in mind of a large beetle,or Cricket