“I found these near my dog’s toilet area in the garden,” writes Mary in her submission regarding the white organisms pictured below. “Are they larvae of some kind? They are about a quarter of an inch, the two bigger ones. Thank you for your help.” First off, we want to thank Mary for the excellent photos, the best of which we included below, as well as the context, which always helps us identify the organisms we are asked about and tailor our advice. The organisms Mary found are not larvae, but fully-grown insects known as wax scales (Ceroplastes). They are not harmful to dogs or humans, so Mary needs not worry on that front, but they are parasitic, and thereby harmful, to the plants they infest.