A strange surprise . . . .

[hardcoregeneral]

Hi folks, earlier this evening I was reporting a cacti from a local market that I bought for a bargain price. As usual it was potted in that awful spongy brown peat, so I decided to rid it of the peat and plant in my usual mix. As I started pulling away the peat, I noticed a leaf inside it, I thought it might be the cacti offsetting in a way I hadn't seen before, but when I looked closer it was actually a small green leaf from an unfamiliar plant, it was rolled up in a little cocoon, as I pulled it out, it unravelled, revealing a little silver maggot! Naturally I was shocked and disgusted, how could this alien have gotten right into the roots in the peat!? As I took away more peat I noticed another, then another!! More than a coincidence. I was so disgusted I threw them to the ground, and I know I should've taken a photo but it was too late by the time I'd thought about it. Can anybody help me to work out what they were? Little silver maggots, one in each rolled up leaf, the leaves were half an inch in length and the maggots probably about 5 or 6mm in length, a distinct silver colour. Horrible little things. Does this pest sound familiar? Could it spread or has the larvae been planted there by some sort of burrowing beetle!? Can't find anything on line to help, they all refer to microscopic pests that are difficult to see, but these were juicy maggots very clear to see, but what creature rolled up a leaf and stashed it inside the plants roots?!! Weird. Thanks if anyone can help!?

[iann]

It may well have been a leaf cutter bee larva.