“What kind of worm is this?” asks our reader, Aizen, in his submission regarding the long, brown-striped worm-like creature pictured below. “I found it in our bathroom. At first, I thought it was a tile grout that came out but upon closer inspection, it had a round head. Hope you can help and inform me if my family is in danger of parasites. Thanks!” To start with, we want to thank our reader for the excellent photo and video he sent us – they give us a really clear picture of what the organism looks like and how it moves, which helps us come to a conclusion with regard to its identity.
We think that the worm Aizen found in his bathroom is a flatworm. Its shape, coloration, and ‘flatness’ all point to this conclusion. Flatworms can be slightly harmful to humans, but only so far as secreting a toxin that can cause irritation and stinging if one touches it. Other than that, they do not pose any real danger to humans, and they are definitely not parasites. With that said, they can be harmful to pets, as consuming flatworms is not safe: they can carry dangerous parasites. So, if Aizen does have any pets, we suggest that he keep them away from the flatworm, and that if he is concerned for their health, that he take them to the vet.
Likewise, when he moves the flatworm outside, he should probably move it a safe distance from his home if he does indeed have pets. Otherwise, he is probably safe from this flatworm wanting to enter his home again. It was likely chasing prey into the bathroom, or perhaps it was accidentally brought into the home on someone’s clothes, or on the fur of a dog or cat (provided a pet does exist). Now, if our reader’s home has other bugs in it, he should make sure to get those out of his home too – otherwise more flatworms would be attracted to his home. It might even be worth vacuuming his home to make sure he gets all the little critters the naked eye could miss.
To conclude, the worm Aizen found in his bathroom is a flatworm. They are not life-threatening, though we recommend avoiding physical contact with them. They are fascinating creatures though, and we definitely do not recommend killing them. Besides, killing them can be quite an ordeal in any case. We hope this article proves useful, and we wish Aizen the very best!
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