Orange Worm 2 Apr 1:18 PM (yesterday, 1:18 pm)
A reader wrote to us about some creatures she has been finding in her condo. She said they are very tiny, and that she usually finds them near the bathroom or in the closet. She is hopeful we can identify them and advise her on how to make her place less appealing to these worm-like organisms.
Woolly Worm Festival Beatyville, KY 30 Mar 1:17 PM (4 days ago)
The Woolly Worm Festival takes place in small towns across the U.S. each year. Locals and visitors alike gather in...
Catalpa Worms with White Spiky Things All Over Them 27 Mar 1:14 PM (7 days ago)
We decided to title this article with more or less the exact wording of an email we recently received from a reader. She reported that her "catalpa worms have white spikey things all over them," and she is wondering what is going on. Something is clearly amiss with her Catawba worms. (For the record, Catalpa worms are Catawba worms and vice versa, as the words "Catalpa" and "Catawba" are interchangeable). The reader asked no additional questions, so we will focus only on the white spiky things on the Catalpa worms. We won't worry about general matters of identification, presuming our reader is definitely dealing with Catawba worms, and we also won't worry about ways to rectify the problem, which may not be possible anyway.
Tiny Black Critter that Stumped Pest Control Could be a Flea Larva 24 Mar 1:11 PM (10 days ago)
"Can you please help identify this worm?" asks Ashley about the tiny, black worm-like creature pictured below (which is barely visible on the photo). "The pest control came and said that in 30 years he’s never seen this kind of worm. They are smaller than an eyelash. Thank you so much!" Firstly, we want to note to our other readers that, despite the photo being quite of poor resolution and not showing the worm clearly, Ashley did send in an excellent video (linked below) of the worm moving about. This brings us to our second point: based on the video, we would venture a guess and say that this might be a flea larva.
Why Do Millipedes Smell Bad? 21 Mar 1:05 PM (13 days ago)
A while back, a reader asked us which types of millipedes emit a horrible odor when threatened or stepped on. (Technically, the reader asked about "minipedes," but we'll assume this was a typo, unless they really are interested in knowing the nonexistent smell of an online ship that sells baby shoes in the UK.) In other words, which millipedes smell bad when threatened or attacked in some way. This is a simple enough question, but we'll have to answer it in somewhat general terms because there are around 10,000 species in the Diplopoda class, which millipedes make up, so we of course can't list every single millipede that smells bad (nor in truth do we know of all the millipedes that smell bad). So, we will focus on the following, more general question: why do millipedes smell bad?
This Woman Wonders Where She, Her Dog and her Family Can Receive Medical Attention for Potential Hookworms 18 Mar 12:57 PM (16 days ago)
"Where can I get help?" is the first thing this woman writes in her submission, posing the question that many face when they are concerned about parasite-related health concerns. This reader in particular is concerned about a "hookworm" that "came out of [her] dog" which has spread to her and her family members.
Hook Worms 15 Mar 12:50 PM (19 days ago)
Hook worms are intestinal parasites that are quite common in cats and dogs, especially kittens and puppies. They can also infect humans. Hook worms (also written as “hookworms”) can be found throughout North America, but some types of hook worm are more likely to be found in tropical and semitropical regions. There are several types of hook worm including: A. caninum (canine hook worm), A. braziliense (canine and feline hookworm), U. stenocephala (Northern canine hook worm), and A. tubaeforme (feline hook worm).
Worms Hanging From Towel Probably Inchworms 12 Mar 12:45 PM (22 days ago)
A reader found some critters hanging from a towel that was out by the pool. We believe these worm-like organisms are inchworms.
Ribbon Worm 9 Mar 12:41 PM (25 days ago)
At a minimum of 8 inches long, the ribbon worms body is long and lean with finlike appendages. Some giant ribbon worm species or ‘Lineus longissimus’ may reach up to 100 feet long.
Interesting Facts About Wax Worms 6 Mar 11:36 AM (28 days ago)
Wax worms look like dull white caterpillars. They have thick bodies and a dark head. After mating, the female wax worm will lays her eggs and the cycle will begin again.