What is in my flower beds

I was outside this morning looking at my beds where I planted some Dianthus last year. It does not appear to be coming back, but instead I found what looks like grains of rice and some very tiny looking wormy things. Any idea what it is and how do I get rid of it. Are my Dianthus dead, if they have not yet started coming back?

 

My Dianthus stays somewhat green all winter. It's already sending up its flower stalks.

 

I think they were grubs, and they were feeding off of the dead roots (yuck)!! I'm guessing that since I planted them towards the end of the summer they did not get a chance to really take hold.....and then came the snow! My beds were soooooo wet and soggy!

 

they would most likely be the grub form of the japanese beetle. A few years ago, the HOA got a bunch of us interested in having our lawns treated with powdered Milky Spore. That kick's them in the A**. you can get some at HD and spread it on your lawn. it will eventaully keep them from coming up and they will die off. That and the roto tilling of our beds for all the landscaping we've done and we've not had one in years. in fact we hardly get any beetles - even though we live across from the Nature center.