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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Pest Worms

Pink Worm on Bed is an Erythrina Stem Borer

“I read an article about trying to identify a pink worm in the bedroom, but it was difficult to do so without seeing the legs”, writes this reader in his submission regarding the pink critter pictured below. “I found a similar worm on my bed and wanted to share the video I took. I live in Toledo, Ohio. Thank you!” Based on the great photo he sent in, we have identified this is an erythrina stem borer caterpillar. These creatures are unfortunately pests of coral trees, which they are named after. They can be found all over the Americas where there are coral trees, from South America and the Caribbean, to California and Florida. Similar species have also been found in Asia and Africa, though they are not the same species.

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Posted in Caterpillars Interesting Worms Worms Generally

Brown Caterpillar in Sandbox Looks Like a Tomato Pinworm

“What is this?” asks this reader in her submission regarding the brown, segmented, worm-like creature pictured below. “We found some small doughnut shaped eggs in our sandbox and we watched one of them hatch into an inch-long caterpillar! Here is a photo of the egg and one of the hatched larva!” Based on the excellent photo of the critter itself, we would say these are tomato pinworms, a type of moth caterpillar that, as their name suggests, eat tomatoes. They also eat potatoes and eggplants, as well as different types of weeds. With that said, tomato pinworm eggs do not look like the ones our reader found. The doughnut shape reminds us more of gall wasp eggs. However, gall wasp larvae do not look like the creature our reader found: they are white in color.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

White Worm Crawling on Shoulder is a Caterpillar or Maggot

“I just saw this worm crawling on my shoulder”, writes Mackie about the white organism pictured below. “Do you know what kind of worm this is and where it possibly came from?” She does not provide more context than this, and we have to say that this worm really could be anything. Its shape, coloration, and overall appearance is so generic that it could be any number of different creatures. Our best bet is that it is a caterpillar or a maggot, but it could very well be a beetle larva too, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, we think it probably ended up on Mackie’s shoulder when she was outside: it likely fell out of a tree and landed on her.

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Posted in Case Bearing Larva Caterpillars Worms Found in the House

White Worm in Underwear is a Clothes Moth Caterpillar

“I had been outside under a tree and came inside to use the bathroom”, writes Judy in her submission regarding the white, worm-like creature pictured below. “I found this in my underwear. I have never seen one again, inside or outside. I have found some pictures that look like it, but I’m not sure which one is which. The picture of the worm is on a washcloth and is small. Do I need to be concerned?” To begin with, we want to thank Judy for the photo and context, both of which have made it far easier for us to identify the worm-like critter she is asking about. We believe she has found a clothes moth caterpillar.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

White Worm with Brown Head is a Caterpillar Pest

“Can you tell me what this is?” is all this reader asks in her submission regarding the cream-colored, worm-like creature pictured below. Now, since we can only go on the photo our reader sent in, we will have to say that any identification made is not made with 100% certainty or accuracy. Especially in this case: the physical characteristics of this creature are so generic that it could be any number of things, and without the context in which the critter was found, we cannot pinpoint exactly what it could be. What we will say is that it is definitely the larva of an insect, and, assuming it was found inside our reader’s home, we would say it is likely some type of moth caterpillar, and potentially a pest at that.

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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Worms Generally

Spiky, Black and Orange Caterpillar is an Acraea Butterfly Caterpillar

“I found this caterpillar in my garden (Western Cape, South Africa), but have had no luck identifying it”, writes Bradley in his submission regarding the striking, spiky, worm-like creature pictured below. “I tried the Seek app and it identified it as a Crimson Patch, but the colors don’t seem to match in any pictures I’ve seen. It is around an inch long and has distinct orange and black bands on its body. Is it indeed a Crimson Patch or is it something else?” Firstly, we want to compliment Bradley on the fantastic photo he sent in. It will be a welcome addition to our library of caterpillar and worm photos. Secondly, we also want to compliment him on doing his own research and coming up with excellent questions.

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Posted in Caterpillars Interesting Bugs Worms Generally

White Worms on Roller Blinds are Insect Larvae

“Can you identify these larvae or worms?” asks Lisa in her submission regarding the white, worm-like creature pictured below. “They were laid on my roller blinds. I’ve been experiencing bites and I’m trying to find the source. Thank you kindly for your time.” Firstly, we must point out that, due to the picture being somewhat blurry, we will not be able to identify the worm with 100% certainty or accuracy. All we can go on from the picture is the worm’s coloration and general shape: no other identifying information is visible, unfortunately. Secondly, we will also not be able to identify the worm based on the fact that Lisa has been experiencing bites, and any suggestions we make as to the identify of the worm will ignore this piece of context.

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Posted in Caterpillars Inch Worms Parasite Worms

Small Worm with Needle Tip Could be an Inchworm

“I have looked through your site and can’t find exactly what I’m having a problem with”, writes this reader regarding the tiny critter pictured below. “They look like worm-type things, but they are as small as a needle tip, probably one millimeter long, and they seem to appear out of nowhere. They don’t seem to move while I watch them, and one minute out of nowhere they appear on my body. I’ll include pictures for you below.” Right off the bat, we will have to point out that, because of how tiny the worm is, and how blurry the photo becomes when we try to zoom in on it, we will not be able to provide an identification that is 100% certain or accurate. We understand that, given the minuscule size of the worms, it would have been extremely difficult to photograph these creatures.

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Posted in Caterpillars Earthworms Worms Generally

Clear Pink Worms Scaling Home could be Earthworms or Caterpillars

“I have had these skinny, slimy-looking worms that are sometimes a pink color and a translucent pink,” writes this reader in her submission. She continues to say that the worms “have basically taken over the outside walls and doors of [her] house.” She lives “in the Heartland, Florida area”, and explains that the worms were found after “all the rain the past couple months. What are they?” She does not attach any photos to her submission, so we must note that any identifications we make here are merely educated guesses, and are not made with 100% certainty or accuracy.

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Posted in Caterpillars Dog Worms Worms Found in the House

Black Worms All Over Bed Could be Insect Larvae

“Please help!” exclaims this reader regarding the black worm-like creature pictured below. “Found these things all on our bed when we got home from a two week vacation. Mind you, we have three dogs. So, the house is a constant battle for fur. I have no clue what it is as I’ve never had a problem like this before.” Now, if it was not for the picture, we would have identified these as flea larvae or clothes moth larvae, just based on the context. That would have made sense given the fact that our reader has a dog and they were found on a bed (as both creatures will eat loose fur and hair, and other materials found on a bed).

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Posted in Caterpillars Indian Meal Moth Larvae Worms Found in the House

Worm in Coffee Pot is Likely a Pantry Moth Caterpillar

“Is this a parasite?” asks this reader in her submission. “It came out when my boyfriend’s aunt cleaned her coffee pot! It swam around the carafe for hours until the bleach water finally won the battle. YUCK!” Well, unfortunately we can’t tell what organism our reader is referring to in the photo. We assume it could be the translucent, ovate objects on the clear dish, but we cannot be certain. And the photo is quite blurry, so we nonetheless would not be able to provide an identification that is certain or accurate. On top of that, we cannot confirm or deny if any organism is a parasite, because parasites always pose a medical threat. Since we are not medical professionals, we are not qualified nor legally able to identify organisms of this nature.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

How to Distinguish Oak Worms from Asp Caterpillars

“How do you distinguish oak worms from asp caterpillars?” is all this reader writes in her submission. She does not attach any photographs, but in this case, that’s not necessary. The two creatures she asks about are moth species, and they are actually very different. Sure, they are both defoliators, and eat leaves from the respective trees they are named after, but just appearance-wise, they are night and day, and are very easy to distinguish. So, in essence, our reader made our job really easy for us.

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Posted in Caterpillars Pest Worms Worms Facts

Pink Worms in Dining Area are Erythrina Stem Borer Caterpillars

“I found these four worms in our dining area”, writes this reader in her submission regarding the segmented, pink, worm-like creature pictured below. “Near the back door. What kind of worm is this? How did they get inside? Thank you.” From the looks of it, we think our reader may have found erythrina stem borer caterpillars. The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. The erythrina stem borer moth is native to the Americas, and the adult moth is a tiny, brown creature. However, its harmless appearance shouldn’t fool you: they are actually pretty destructive creatures. At least, their caterpillars are.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

Colorful and Bushy Caterpillars are Tussock Moth Caterpillar and Forest Tent Caterpillar

“Do I need to kill them or let them do their thing?” asks this reader in her submission regarding the colorful and bushy worm-like creatures pictured below. “I am tolerant until it gets to the point where they’re eating plants down to the dirt. If you can identify them and advise me on treatment, I would greatly appreciate it. I live in rural south Texas, Victoria County, zone 9b. The photo on the leaf is about 1”, while the one on the concrete is almost 3”.” Firstly, we just want to point out that the second, three-inch caterpillar looks much different to the first one, so we will treat them as different species. That said, we do think they are both caterpillars.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Odd Assortment of Organisms May Include Clothes Moth Caterpillars and Fungi

“Can anyone identify these things?” asks this reader in her submission regarding the strange-looking organisms pictured below. “I have alot of pics but for now I’ll send a few. Please help, I desperately need to know what these are.” Now, our reader does not give any more context, which makes identifying these creatures pretty hard, especially considering that they are not easily-recognizable organisms, and they all look completely different. When it comes to the first image, we think this looks like a moth – almost like a common clothes moth.

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Posted in Caterpillars Inch Worms Worms Generally

Green Worm Dangling From Cap is an Inchworm

“What is this thin, small, brow/tan, almost greenish inch worm?” writes this reader about the worm-like organism pictured below. “Found it dangling off my cap on a some sort of thread I think, it moves pretty fast. From the US.” Thanks to our reader’s excellent photo and video, but mostly the fact that she names the organism herself, we can confirm that this is indeed an inchworm. Inchworms are any caterpillar of a group of moth species found in North America. They are all characterized by their number and placement of appendages: legs at the front and back, but not in the middle. Due to how the legs are positioned on the body, the inchworm moves as it does in the video: by reaching for something to grab onto with its prolegs, then arching its back while the hind legs catch up.

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Posted in Caterpillars Centipedes and Millipedes Pest Worms

Host of Worms Infesting Coconut Palm Trees Include Caterpillars and Millipedes

“Many of our coconut palms that have been here for more than 30 years are suddenly dying”, starts this reader in her submission regarding the palm tree and the associated worm-like creatures pictured below. “The man that trims the fronds and fruit took the attached photos. The critters look like caterpillars and maybe something that is larvae. The creature with the stripe on its back almost looks like a millipede of some sort, maybe? It’s not clear if the creatures have created the problem OR there is some other problem which the critters are taking advantage of for their reproductive pleasure. I am located in Hawaii on the island of Hawaii.”

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

Fuzzy-looking, Black worms Invading Home are Caterpillars

“I’ve found small, black, almost fuzzy-looking worms on and around the entrance door, the concrete patio at the doorway, and in every room, mostly on the floor!” exclaims this reader in his submission regarding the creature pictured below. “Seems I’ve crushed about a million, flushed a bunch, washed them down the shower drain, sprayed home defense and even peppermint mixed with water, but can’t get rid of these pests! What are they and what can I do to keep them gone? I live in a basement apartment in North-East TN, near the VA., Tennessee state lines! Thank you for taking my question!”

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Posted in Caterpillars Parasite Worms Worms Facts

Segmented Worm on Daughter’s Leg Could be a Caterpillar

“This was stuck to my daughter’s leg after a day of being outside in the garden”, writes this reader about the segmented, brown creature pictured below. “It didn’t bleed when I pulled it off but was definitely stuck to her. It did curl up when I pulled it off. We are in Connecticut. What is it?” Right away, we have to point out that we will only be able to make an educated guess as to what this creature could be. The reason for this is that our reader’s photo is low resolution and was taken quite far away from the creature, meaning that when we zoom in to try and get a better look at the creature, the details become blurry.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

Gray Worms Swarming Laundry Basket are Newly-hatched Caterpillars

“What is this?” is all this reader asks about the minuscule, gray, worm-like creatures pictured below. They seem to be swarming a laundry basket. Despite the lack of context, and the low resolution photo, we do have a couple of suggestions for that these critters could be. Given their gray coloration and bulbous black heads, these look like newly-hatched armyworms or American ermine moth caterpillars. It is odd that our reader found them on her laundry hamper, only because neither of these species feed on textiles, like the clothes moth caterpillar or the carpet beetle larva.