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Posted in Morgellons Disease Parasite Worms Worms in Humans

Tiny, C-Shaped, White Worms Invade Every Corner of This Man’s Life

“What I have found, I have discovered in every grocery store, in every food product”, writes Matthew in his submission, which does not include any photographs. In such instances we do want to make clear to our readers that any identifications we make will inherently be less accurate, as it is only based on what our reader has told us. “I asked a local butcher, and his response was: ‘What can we do?’. What I am talking about are tiny C-shaped nematodes about 1 mm wide and 2-3 mm long. They are clearish white, and move slowly. But what is interesting is that inside each little “C” is a lint-like worm that is a zig-zag shape, and capable of floating. The lint worms are incredibly thin, and seem to burrow into pieces of hair, clothing fibers, etc. And they gather and wind around each other as well as burrowing into our skin. But they grow. Often leaving worm-trails in the beard skin of men. So, my question is: How is no one noticing these things? Because they are everywhere. I’ve found them in tree leaves, and grass, but mostly just floating through the air. I am positive that they are what’s behind Morgellons. Except it is not rare. They are everywhere and in everything!”

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Posted in Cat Worms Dog Worms Parasite Worms

Clear Worms with Black Insides are Flea Larvae

“What are these clear worm things with black insides?” asks Robyn in her submission regarding the organism pictured below. “They were in the bathtub after giving my dog a bath. HELP!” Although the photo is quite blurry, we think that — given what we can see, Robyn’s description of the creature, and the context in which it was found — Robyn found flea larvae. Now, we realize that saying this could be cause for panic, given that fleas do infest dogs, and it is not the nicest thing to hear that this could be a possibility. What we will say is that flea larvae do not have the same diet as their adult counterparts, meaning that while the adult flea attaches itself to the outside of animals like dogs to suck their blood, the larvae do not do this.

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Posted in Parasite Worms Worms Facts Worms Generally

Skinny Light Brown Worm Appearing Next to Dead Spider is a Horsehair Worm

“Yesterday my kids caught a Hentz Orb-weaver in a small mason jar. I was going to set it free but I completely forgot about the spider and it was left in the sealed jar on my back porch and when I woke up I noticed the spider was dead but there was also a long skinny light brown worm like creature inside the jar next to the dead spider”, writes Kelsey in his submission regarding the worm pictured below. “I’m completely baffled because this worm was not in the jar last night and the Mason jar has a sealed aluminum lid so I can’t imagine anything getting through that. How did the worm get in the jar? Is it some kind of parasitic worm? Can orb weaver spiders carry parasitic worms? I am a little freaked out and I really want to know how and why this is possible. Please help! Oh and the worm is very much alive by the way.”

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Posted in Parasite Worms Pest Worms Worms Found in the House

Array of Worm-like Critters Invade Home, Including Microscopic Worms From Faucets

“Translucent, striped, microscopic, hairlike worms in Miami Beach apartment water faucets”, writes this reader in her submission regarding the array of organisms pictured below. “I had previously found this after bathing my dog with Septol. This nightmare never ends. Now I noticed they come from our faucets. What is going on? I’m so scared. Thanks for your help.” The first thing we want to bring attention to is our use of the phrase “array of organisms”; we do think our reader is actually dealing with multiple different organisms that are not necessarily related. For example, the yellowing, segmented worm-like creature pictured below looks to us like a fly larva (maggot). People can commonly get these during the summer as flies enter the home and lay eggs in one’s organic compost. The best way to tackle these is to consistently throw out compost and larvae in trash cans outside, keep one’s kitchen clean, and maybe buy fly traps if the issue is bad enough.

Posted in Pest Worms Thread Worms Worms Generally

Clear, Thread-like Worms Coming from Faucet After Water Main Break

“I am very worried: there’s a water boiler alert in Miami Beach and here is what I find in my bathroom faucet running water,” writes Elodie in her submission regarding the thin objects pictured below. Right off the bat, we have to tell Elodie that we will not be able to provide a confident or accurate identification, due to the near-microscopic nature of these organisms. From the pictures alone, which are not too clear to begin with, we cannot see any identifying information about these organisms other than that they are thin and long – hairlike. We would not even be able to confirm if they actually are organisms or not, and Elodie does not necessarily state that she is confident about this either.

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Posted in Parasite Worms Tapeworm Worms Found in the House

Coiled Up Worm Could be Horsehair Worm

“Is this a tapeworm?” asks Tammy in her submission regarding the clear, whitish worm-like critters pictured below. “I’m sure it must be. But the strange thing is I found it coiled up, I thought it was just some type of elastic on the side table in the bedroom! How would it get there? I freaked out that I touched it, but realized it was strange if elastic. I put it in a baggie with some eye drops to keep it moist. I’m freaking out because I don’t understand where it came from to end up on a table! I have no pets in this room. I thought worms came out in poop! And rarely seen as a whole worm. Please help me with this ASAP. I’d really appreciate.”

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Posted in Parasite Worms Round Worms Worms in Humans

Live Roundworm Worm Found Living in Australian Woman’s Brain

While we don’t usually post about parasites that infect humans, we are posting about this, including a link, so that people can point to this story as proof that yes, people have parasitic ‘worms’ of all sorts infecting them. Medical editor Melissa Davey wrote an “article on a live worm that was found inside a woman’s brain“. The worm was a roundworm, one of Earth’s most simple creatures. There are many species of parasitic roundworms that can be contracted in various ways, but this particular discovery was a first. The species of roundworm they found inside the woman’s brain was a species normally found in pythons, not humans.

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Posted in Cat Worms Parasite Worms Worms Generally

Clear Worm with Black Head on Bathroom Towel is a Flea Larva

“I found this little worm on the corner of my bathroom floor towel (only used for standing/drying feet)”, writes Nic in his submission regarding the translucent worm with a black head and dark entrails pictured below. “Have never noticed any other critters before nor have any health complaints, but it doesn’t look like a carpet beetle nor a clothes moth worm. I recently adopted an older cat from a shelter, but that was only two days ago and I don’t think he’s been in this room yet. So hmmmm, not sure what this little guy is? Obviously it is time to toss the towel in the washer!”

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Posted in Marine Worms Parasite Worms Round Worms

Dozen White Worms on Sidewalk Could be Roundworms or Gordian Worms

“I found a dozen of these on my sidewalk, what type of worm are these?” asks this reader in their submission regarding the long, white, tangled worms pictured below. No further context is provided, but we do have to point out that the photos our reader sent in are just fantastic: it is this level of quality that lets us, as well as our other readers, more easily identify the organisms in the photo. It helps us identify the creatures faster, and it helps other readers identify the worms they might be dealing with. In our reader’s case, we think these could be roundworms or horsehair worms, though given the nondescript nature of the worms’ bodies, it is hard to tell for certain.

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Posted in Eating Worms Parasite Worms Worms in Humans

Mother Buys Doughnuts Only to Find Worms Inside

“PLEASE HELP!” exclaims Lisa in her submission regarding the grayish brown worm-like critter crawling out of the doughnut pictured below. “I got doughnuts yesterday morning and we ate a lot yesterday. And since we got a dozen I had some left over this morning. The doughnut was tightly sealed in wrap and this morning we saw the attached. You can see it’s coming out of the doughnut and I’m worried me and my kids ate the eggs (or something) from this huge worm. It doesn’t look like a maggot. Please help us. Is this a parasite? I already reported this to the health department but I really am concerned. Thank you so much. There is also an attachment video.”

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Posted in Grub Worms Parasite Worms Pest Worms

Do Palm Tree Borers Infect Humans?

“Can a human get worm borers from palm trees?” asks Chris in his submission. “I am a tree trimmer and want to know if the borers can get in a human?” Chris asks some good questions here, and the short answers to his question are ‘no’ and ‘yes’: we will explain why exactly that’s the case. To start with, we have to address that Chris did not send in any photos, and as there are multiple types of palm borers, we do not know exactly which species Chris is referring to. For example, there is the palm borer moth caterpillar (Paysandisia archon), but there is also the palm borer beetle larva (Dinapate wrightii), both of which resemble worms. Fortunately, it does not really matter in this case, given Chris’ question, as the answer will be the same across the board for every palm borer species.

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Posted in Marine Worms Parasite Worms Worms Facts

Needle-thin Worm on Muddy River Bank is a Horsehair Worm

“What is this little guy?” asks Valerie in her submission regarding the black, worm-like critter pictured below. “About 4-inches long, needle thin, in the muddy bank of a river in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.” To start with, we want to thank Valerie for the excellent photo and video she sent in. The video captures the sporadic, twisty movements of the worm, and the picture gives us a good sense of scale, showing us how long this worm really is. Based on this information, as well as the context Valerie provided, we think that she found a horsehair worm.

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Posted in Parasite Worms Worms Facts Worms in Humans

Clear Yellow Worm in Eye Could be a Flea Larva

“I found this in my eye, like just near the lid,” writes Aryaman in his submission regarding the translucent, worm-like creature pictured below. “I think it fell in it or something. Not sure if it’s a bug even. Please check and help with some answers. Hope it’s nothing of concern.” In our opinion, this likely is some kind of larva that fell into his eye. It looks like it could be a fungus gnat larva or a flea larva (the two look very similar). We cannot promise that it is nothing of concern, as there is the possibility that this poses medical concerns. Since we are not medical professionals, we are not qualified or legally able to identify creatures which could be negatively affecting someone’s health, nor can we, in good faith, tell someone not to be worried about a creature in their eye. Even if the creature itself was relatively harmless, it might not bode well to it in one’s eye.

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Posted in Leeches Parasite Worms Segmented Worms Annelida

Dark Brown, Segmented Worm on Driveway is a Leech

“My children found this worm on our driveway in west Tennessee”, writes Heather in her submission regarding the dark brown, segmented worm-like organism pictured below. “Can you help me identify it? Its underside was slightly lighter colored, kind of flattened, and it had a disk-like foot structure (possibly) at one end. Thank you.” Firstly, we want to thank Heather for the fantastic photos. The good lighting and sharp details make our job so much easier, and provides a great resource for others who find similar-looking organisms and want to know what they are. Secondly, whoever’s finger is in the photo below is very lucky, because what Heather’s children found is a leech.

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Posted in Parasite Worms Thread Worms Worms Generally

Microscopic Threads Found on Every Surface that Resemble Worms

“I’m always seeing these things like thread, on just about anything and everything, all throughout my house, and some seem to be colored”, writes Brian in his submission regarding the thin, worm-like organism pictured below. “I was given this microscope for my birthday. As curious as I am, I’m always looking through it (can’t say ‘through it’ cause, as you see, it is on a screen. And I think the instructions say it magnetizes between 50 to 1,000x. I mean, it can bring a piece of lint from the dryer to about the size you see here. Now that I know they are all over the house, I’m curious about what they are. Seeing your web page got me thinking about worms now. So, I’m wondering if it’s possible that you can tell me what they might be? Thank You.”

Parasites in Humans that Look Like Hair: Reader Discovers a Cure!
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Posted in Parasite Worms Worms in Humans

Reader Discovers a Cure for Parasites in Humans that Look Like Hair!

A regular All About Worms reader named Heidi has, after extensive research, discovered both what are these parasites that look like hair that are infecting humans (or at least her), and a cure to eradicate them!

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Posted in Pinworm Worms Facts Worms in Humans

Hairlike Worm that Stings and Creates ‘Slots of Dust’

“Does this look like the unknown fibers/worms everyone is dealing with that sting, create slots of dust, and move through fabrics?” asks Teddy in his submission regarding the thin, translucent object pictured below. “Or are these dead pinworms?” To start with, we have to say that we are aware of the “unknown fibers” or worms that “everyone” seems to be finding, and after having a quick look on the web, we are not encountering stories about worms like the one Teddy found. That said, we have gotten submissions in the past about worms that resemble this one, and in every case we have maintained that we do not know what it could possibly be. On top of that, just like in Teddy’s case, a lot of our readers who have asked about worms resembling this one have quoted concerns about parasites, which is the main reason we have not identified the organisms that look like this.

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Posted in Parasite Worms Tapeworm Worms in Humans

Can Tapeworms Live on Walls?

“Can tapeworms live on walls?” is all Robin asks in her submission regarding the yellow object in the photo. To begin with, we have to point out that we are not qualified or legally able to identify tapeworms, because they are parasites. Only a medical professional is legally able to identify parasites, or any other organism that directly affect the health of people or pets, because that identification is tantamount to a diagnosis: it dictates what types of treatments and/or medications a human/animal might need as a result of finding that parasite. Now, we realize that Robin did not ask us to identify a tapeworm: she only asks if they can live on walls. But the photo is somewhat confusing, as it does not seem to show a tapeworm, or any organism for that matter, so we do not know its purpose.

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Posted in Parasite Worms Worms Facts Worms Generally

Translucent Worm With Dark Tip is a Mosquito Larva

“What type of worm is this?” asks this reader in her submission regarding the tiny, white creature pictured below. “I found this on our washing up sponge. It is white, translucent, with a dark-coloured tip (possibly dark red). It wasn’t so clear to me as I was so grossed out. We do not have pets and I often disinfect the kitchen and change my sponge every other week or so. What could this be? And how can I stop having worms? I am scared that my family, especially my little one, will ingest it. I squished the other end by accident. I washed my hands several times after that.”

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Posted in Parasite Worms Worms Facts Worms Generally

White and Black Worms on Mattress are Flea Larvae

“I found these tiny white (clear) and black worms in my mattress in Hot Springs, Arkansas”, writes this reader in his submission regarding the critter pictured below. “What are they and are they harmful? Will they spread? Also, how do I get rid of them? Thanks.” To begin with, we want to thank our reader for the plethora of fantastic photos, the best of which we included. On top of that, he asks good questions, and the context has already helped us to come to a conclusion about the worm’s identity. The worms our reader has been finding are not actually worms but flea larvae.