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What the hell are these things?!?!

pollinator

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Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 7 years ago

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I have areas of land I am clearing by putting down large pieces of rubber roofing. These also border my gardens in some areas as I expand them. This morning I saw these "things" as I was doing my morning walk-around looking for interesting things. Anyone have any idea what they are? They are very much alive.

thing.jpeg

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Wyatt Bottorff

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posted 7 years ago

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I can't claim to know myself, but this facebook group has had pictures of similar species:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bug.identification/

If you have an account, they are very helpful.

Todd Parr

pollinator

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Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 7 years ago

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Wyatt Bottorff wrote:I can't claim to know myself, but this facebook group has had pictures of similar species:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bug.identification/

If you have an account, they are very helpful.

Thank you! I think I found them on that facebook page. It looks like it might be a "horsehair worm". It seems it is a parasite that lives in crickets and grasshoppers, emerging into puddles or other containers of water. that would make sense because I saw them one other time in my dog's water bowl (and immediately wormed my dogs). The facebook page linked to this page if anyone is interested: Horsehair worm

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

s. ayalp

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posted 7 years ago

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If I encounter something like that my first instict would be too. It is a good call to worm animals, just in case. It is way better to be on the safe side when it comes to pets.
Then I read the article you sent. What suprised me is these worms are probably good guys. They might not have a significant positive impact, but they do tell it is time for some copper :p
Here is the part from the article:
" Since horsehair worms are parasitic, they are assumed to be beneficial in the control of certain insects. Its true value as a parasite, however, is questionable because the worm does not kill its host until it matures. Horsehair worms are not parasites of humans or pets. Therefore, these creatures are primarily of interest as one of nature’s oddities."

Karen Donnachaidh

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Location: Virginia (zone 7)

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posted 7 years ago

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That is a horsehair worm. Aren't they cool. I need more of them to control all the grasshoppers I have this year.

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Todd Parr

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Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 7 years ago

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Karen Donnachaidh wrote:That is a horsehair worm. Aren't they cool. I need more of them to control all the grasshoppers I have this year.

I'm glad they do what they do, but I find them SO repulsive.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

John Weiland

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posted 7 years ago

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Todd Parr.... but I find them SO repulsive. [/quote wrote:

Have you seen any of the recent "Aliens" sequels like "Prometheus"??.... Grasshoppers just keep them tame....what they really need is to cycle through a human! (....kidding!)

Yeah...never figured out why they would end up in the dog's water bowl either, but then came across this: " Horsehair worms are parasitic to insects, but not to mammals (including humans). They enter a host and then eject themselves when they sense they are near water. Perhaps a beetle, or some other insect host, was drinking water or landed on the bowl and the horsehair worm deposited itself and laid eggs." http://www.allaboutworms.com/worms-in-water-bowl-probably-horsehair-worms

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