what is this worm-like crawling bug?

[melissa]

Hello.

I live in the Los Angeles area of Southern California USA.

I was clearing out the garden and was pulling up some weeds that were growing through the pebbles and cardboard where my cloth pots were. Some of the weeds had these bugs on them, but they fell off into the rocks; so I couldn't take a photo of those ones.

Later on in the day, I went out again to do some more work, then I noticed they were also on the cement patio in the backyard.

They crawl like caterpillars and worms; and roll up like a pill bug/(roly poly) when touched. It looks like the underside of the body is white or lighter color, but not sure.

I just want to know if i should find them all and get rid of them, or are they fine to live in the garden? I don't want to get bit, or poison one of the neighborhood cats that walks through and wants to try one as a snack.

if the images don't come through, here are the links:

www.melissamonique.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IMG_20211122_132123931.jpg
www.melissamonique.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IMG_20211122_132158220_HDR.jpg
www.melissamonique.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IMG_20211122_132001646_HDR.jpg

[kevinkk]

They look like some species of lepidoptera, probably a moth larva. About living in the garden- that's subjective, they're not going to be
dangerous to you or animals, and if they're interested in the weeds and not your veggies or ornamentals-
A few caterpillars can't hurt much, and if they don't stay undercover, they'll be bird food.

[melissa]

I hope it's a moth or butterfly larva.
It looks creepy!

Ever since I started vegetable gardening, I seen so many different bugs and their various species. I had no idea so many different kinds of bugs can be in one little yard.

Thank you!

[kevinkk]

yes, there are plenty of creepy looking critters out there, even to some of us hobbyists. The ground is certainly alive when you look.
My guess is a moth larva, someone here might be familiar with the species, it's going to be maybe Noctuidae probably, and there's a zillion
species.

[melissa]

I appreciate your help, and all the life living in or on my soil. Gardening has been lots of fun, plus I get to learn about all things that go along with it.