sand grub n Gt Lakes, esp MI
The larva of a hide beetle (family Trogidae), often used as bait, esp in ice fishing.
1949 State Jrl. (Lansing MI) 30 Jan sec 4/6, Other popular baits [for ice fishing] include sand grubs, golden rod grubs, [etc]. 1953 Schultz Notes Live Baits 62 MI, Sand Grubs, Trogidae. . . The larvae [sic] is a small dirty-white grub 15 to 17 mm. long and has a dark brown or black head. . . No literature has been published on the rearing of this insect; and the bait dealers consulted, are non-committal as to where they obtain them, though, some stock sand grubs in fairly large numbers. The answer most often given is that they collect them from dead animals. 1954 Battle Creek Enquirer & News (MI) 7 Feb sec 3 3/5, The novice who listens to everyone will sally forth . . lugging wax worms (35 cents a dozen); . . [and] sand grubs (orange nosed like corn borers) (35 cents) for perch or bluegills. 1955 Janesville Daily Gaz. (WI) 4 Feb 18/5, [Advt:] Ice Fishing Equipment. . . Salmon Eggs. . May Flies—Sand Grubs. 1962 Minneapolis Sun. Tribune (MN) 21 Jan sports sec 5/7, [Advt:] These are Sand Grubs. . . Here’s another top-notch winter bait for ice fishermen. It’s the larva of the burying beetle. Small animals are buried and eggs are laid which hatch into larva. 1966 Elizabethtown Chron. (PA) 14 Apr sec 1 5/6, [Advt:] Salmon eggs–pork bait—sand grubs. 1970 MI Nat. Resources May-June 17, The mouth of even a big bluegill is surprisingly small. In winter through the ice, hook sizes should be even smaller and so should the bait. Corn borers, wax worms, mousies, and sand grubs, golden-rod grubs and wigglers are among the favorites.