Not for weak stomachs... dead critter question

[partndn]

Okay,
Monday night, discovered a funk in the basement, but due to bad storms, tree down, and other stuff going on here, couldn't fully investigate til after work Tuesday.

It was a possum, bout half grown, dead and .... with maggots on it (). I can't help it, I don't even like to type that word. <shudder>

Got rid of it and all that. What's bugging me is how big they were.. the ookies, I mean.

Seen maggots before, but never this big. They looked like baby slugs. Mostly 1/2 to 5/8 inch or so. More grey than what is usually white, and slicker looking. Oh my gosh if y'all could see the look on my face just trying to type this.

Curiosity is working on me. Were they some different bug?
Sound familiar to anyone?

I'm sure I'm not bug savvy like a lot of y'all. I cannot bring myself to google, due to anticipating MORE images than I would like to sift through to get any info.

[Oldcountryboy]

Don't have a answer for you, but I do have a joke to cheer you up!

Two men were stranded in the wilderness. They could find water but they was having a hard time finding food. They happen to walk up on a dead crow laying on the ground just plum full of maggots. The first man dropped to his knee's and hollered "Finally, food", he started gobbling it all up. The second man looked at him in disgust and said "Oh my God, how could you eat that".

After the first man finished eating they started on thier way through the wilderness once again. As they walked the man that ate the crow got to thinking about what he had just ate. It made him sick and he started throwing up. The second man took one look and said "Finally, a hot meal".

There, now do you feel better?

[MoonShine]

Bless your heart, I feel for you, I really do. Now about your question, I've seen a lot of maggots but it's not something I've pondered on much. Some do look different than others, but I don't think I've ever seen any with a gray coloring to them. 1/2 inch doesn't sound too big to me, that seems about right. Of course, I am trying to think in my mind about how big they are, while not actually looking at any in front of me.

[Bearfootfarm]

There are lots of different fly species with varied sized larvae (maggots)

Put a few in a jar with some possum meat and wait a day or two and they will pupate

[partndn]

Oldcountryboy! Now that was just mean!

Ok, no harm done. Well, just a scrunchied up face here.

Moonshine, guess fortunately for me, seems all the ones I've come upon til now were more about 1/4 to 1/2 inch or so.
Worst case ever in the world was a possum that died in my attic! What is it with my house and possums?! Too many trees for one thing.

[partndn]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

There are lots of different fly species with varied sized larvae (maggots)

Put a few in a jar with some possum meat and wait a day or two and they will pupate

OH LORDIE NO! But thanks for the info.

My thought was maybe standard housefly larva vs. big ole horsefly. That would make sense I guess.

Eeeewwww

[kully]

oldcountryboy, you are bad. BAD

[NickieL]

Cool!!!! Did you get a picture?! Did you poke it with a stick?

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by partndn

OH LORDIE NO! But thanks for the info.

My thought was maybe standard housefly larva vs. big ole horsefly. That would make sense I guess.

Eeeewwww

******************************************
life cycle than the house flies, etc. The females require a blood meal to produce their eggs
and when laid on vegetation, usually overhanging water, when they hatch, they drop to the
ground and burrow in; usually coming out in about 3 yrs. Contrast this with the house flies that
lay their eggs on carrion, which hatch out into your standard 'maggots' and eat dead flesh,
pupate and then emerge to fly about and try to evade swinging flyswatters wielded by
homesteaders with a malady known as queasy-stomach syndrome when in the presense of rotting possom bodies.

[partndn]

Nickie - you DO like bugs I know.

No pics. Was concentrating on just how long the images would stay with me, without any technological assistance.
It's a dirt basement, with limited light. Some random gravel and rock down there. And even though I had a flashlight, I thought several times there were pieces of the former critter moving around, but it was stray yucks making rocks appear to move!

I like snakes. Spiders don't bother me unless they're attacking agressively. Most bugs are not so bad. But the m word.. oh my. And I hate those brown humpy cricket things that don't make any noise. They just jump in the dark and run right into your leg every time.

You know, I'm sure Forerunner and the compost enthusiasts would have made a real gem of the find, adding to their pile with a grin!

[partndn]

Copperkid, wow, very interesting. Good info.
I'd never have thought 3 years.

Maybe these came from a zombie housefly!

[CarolT]

Yep, a different version than your standard fly larvae (I can do that easier than the m word LOL)

I am blind without my glasses, so imagine my reaction when one of those humpy-backed crickets jumped up and grabbed hold of my rear when I was in the shower...

[gone-a-milkin]

Originally Posted by CarolT

Yep, a different version than your standard fly larvae (I can do that easier than the m word LOL)

I am blind without my glasses, so imagine my reaction when one of those humpy-backed crickets jumped up and grabbed hold of my rear when I was in the shower...

I was doing fine until you mentioned CAMEL CRICKETS!!!

Maggot threads are one of my favorite things about HT.

[tinknal]

I'm guessing that these were Bottle Fly Larvae. They are a pretty big fly and they feed strictly on carrion.

[farmmom]

Of all the critters I've ever come in contact with, the only one that really gives me the willies it a maggot.

[Farmerwilly2]

First thought that came to mind was that loogie fish they eat up north, thought maybe you was gonna describe loogie possum. I'll pass on both for the record.

[rabbitpatch]

Originally Posted by farmmom

Of all the critters I've ever come in contact with, the only one that really gives me the willies it a maggot.

That's me. I can handle almost anything - even better with spiders than I used to be - but maggots render me helpless. Can't look at 'em, can't touch 'em, and oh lord have mercy, the sound they make when they move.

[Sanza]

OMG obviously some of you have never used maggots as bait for fishing!
To keep them "fresh" for a few days we keep them in the fridge and many times the bag opens and we find maggots crawling all over! No big deal!
I even suggest using maggots to heal sores and wounds especially if you're diabetic because all they eat is decaying flesh.

[bee]

What bothers me worse than the maggots themselves is the masses of eggs laid all over by the blow flies......When I have to deal with THAT then I keep wondering if I missed any eggs and them hatching..where? *shudder*

[big rockpile]

Maggots make good Fish Bait!

big rockpile