r/composting • u/DormouseMcMouse • 1d ago
Why are there soldier fly larva bugs halves all over the outside of my tumbler?
I'm used to seeing some drowned bugs in the places that collect water. I'm also used to seeing some wedged in the cracks. I've never seen them in pieces on top of the container. It looks like they went to war (and lost) to the rat army, or something.
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u/MeNoPickle 17h ago
Look up “life cycle of (insert bug here)”
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u/DormouseMcMouse 16h ago
I did look up their life cycle. I just haven't seen any mass carnage involved with molting. It makes logical sense now thats its been pointed out but my pictures just don't do the amount of exoskeleton on the tumbler justic. I guess I've never see it happen en mass in a way thats displayed them so prominently.
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u/Alyssa_Beanut 1d ago
I'm pretty sure its their leftover exoskeletons from molting from larvae into flies, I see similar remains from ladybug larvae around my plants.