Horsehair worm

While removing wet leaves from a drainage ditch today, I found an interesting worm. I had to do a little research to identify him. It turns out, he's a horsehair worm (gordiid, Gordiacea (Nematomorphora). A beneficial who is a parasite of crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, centipedes, millipedes and the like. I learned something new today.

Horsehair worm (from okstate.edu).

cool never seen the like

When I found it, I showed it to my H. He asked if it was alive. It moved very slowly. It was like a stiff piece of spaghetti and preferred being  curled up. I stretched it out to measure it, but when I let go to take the picture, he would be curling up again. He measured 12 inches. The knot they tangle in is referred to as a "Gordian knot".

After his photo session, I put him back where I found him. Maybe they'll multiply here and help with the large hatches of grasshoppers we've been having the last couple of years.