A reader asked where one might be able to purchase small, tropical aquatic worms. Presumably this would exclude the giant tube worm, which lives near undersea volcanic vents and can grow to over seven feet in length. However, for the buyer interested in purchasing tropical aquatic worms of the smaller variety, a number of options abound, including flatworms (phylum Platyhelminthes), roundworms (Nematoda), segmented or “fan” worms (Annelida), and arrow worms (Chaetognatha).
As the shipworm grows, it lengthens its burrow, lining it with a calcareous (calcium) layer secreted by the mantle. Teredo includes about 15 species and it is the most damaging of all shipworms.
Clamworms are not tiny creatures. They can grow up to 36 inches long and one and three-fourths wide. Clamworms have roughly 200 segments and they have a thick head with four pairs of tentacles.
This worm got its name because it looks like a feather duster, of course, but it’s also colored orange, maroon, and brown. The tube is tan and it is made of filtered particles and protein.
Beach worms live in varying beach conditions; however, there are ideal conditions to look for when looking to catch the worms. Soft sand makes it easier to catch beach worms and there are likely to be more of them present than hard sand or sand full of shells.
Beetle larvae can be found in moist areas, compost piles, streams, slow moving waters, rivers, dams and lakes where they can find food easily.
European sawflies and their larvae are found mostly in regions from southwestern Ontario through New England and west to Iowa. No one knows exactly how the pest made it’s way to the U.S.
Tubifex worms live in streams and rivers. They also function as a host for whirling disease (WD) which cannot live without the help of this worm. WD can cause significant damage to the ecosystem of a stream or river as it infects fish causing many to die.
The limb boring worm tunnels into hard materials such as rocks and shells. While you may never witness a boring worm in action, you may notice their bodies sticking out of mollusk shells and rock cracks after they have tunneled through.
Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) are found on coral reefs in tropical waters around the world. Christmas tree worms are not dangerous to humans and both male and female Christmas tree worms exist. They reproduce by casting their eggs and sperm directly into the water. The eggs are fertilized in the water then develop into [...]
Also called the “Gordian worm� the horsehair worm is a parasite that not only lives in crickets, but they also live inside of cockroaches, grasshoppers, and beetles.
Tube worms, featuring reddish plumes, are oddities found from ocean floors to aquariums. The range of tube worm species is a continuing source of interest, research and simple curiosity.
The term blood worms covers two categories: those that are insect larvae and those classified as true worms. Both are called bloodworms because they have a blood-like substance in their bodies. Many fish species find either type of blood worm simply irresistible!
Flat worms, or flatworms, are simple organisms and were the first to develop a true worm shape. Of the many thousands of flatworm species, tapeworms and flukes are perhaps the most widely recognized.
There are nearly 10,000 species of bristle worm. Bristle worms can be tiny or large. Bristle worms can be benign or predatory. In fact, the bristle worm family is as diverse a worm family as one could hope to find.
What do you know about leeches? Once valued, then reviled, the leech has never been completely understood. To some, it is a lifesaving tool of medicine; to others, leeches are deadly predators. Who’s right?