Larvae, grubs, maggots or caterpillars

Grubs
Grubs, larvae or maggots - these are the young immature stages of insects. Many insects have four stages of life cycle; egg, larva, pupa and adult. Fly larvae are known as maggots. Most maggots feed on rotting material.

A. Blow fly larvae are normally found on decaying meat.

B. House fly larvae on rotting vegetable matter or feces.

C. Fruit fly larvae on fermenting fruit material.

• For control of these use NO Flies or NO Bugs Super

Other insect larvae that might be encountered as pests in New Zealand homes are:

D. Clothes Moth larvae which can damage fabrics such as cotton.

E. Carpet Beetle larvae which will eat woollen fibres in carpets and clothes.

F. Case Moth larvae will use fibres from natural or synthetic material to protect themselves in a fibrous tube.

• For control of these use NO Carpet Beetle or Silverfish or NO Fleas Total.

Caterpillars
These are the larvae of butterflies and moths. They spend their larval stage devouring plant material. Many species eat specific plants or groups of plants. For example the Cabbage White Butterfly eats only cabbages and its brassica relatives. Check out the Caterpillars page.

A. Cabbage? White caterpillars on Brassicas April-November.

B. Codling Moth caterpillars eat fruit such as apples, pears, apricots, peaches and nectarines.

• For control of these use Organic NO Caterpillars or NO Insects Carbaryl 80.