“Dear All About Worms Community, could you please let me know what kind of worm is this one that I have found in my toilet?” asks HC in their submission regarding the long, brown/red worm-like organism pictured below. “Does it look like a parasite to you? Thanks and kind regards.” To answer HC’s first question right off the bat, the worm they found is an earthworm. Earthworms are not parasites, so HC needs not worry about that. With that said, we actually cannot answer their second question directly, as only a medical professional is qualified and legally able to confirm the identity of parasites (which we are not), given the medical implications of their discovery. So, we will not be able to state whether or not this worm looks like a parasite, but we will say that it looks like an earthworm.

Earthworms are the bread-and-butter of the worm world. They are a vital part of our ecosystem, as they greatly speed up the process of organic materials decomposing through ingesting and digesting said materials and returning them to the earth as nutrient-rich waste which acts as plant fertilizer. Now the question is, why and how did this earthworm end up in HC’s toilet? It is not entirely uncommon for earthworms to show up in people’s toilets. Usually they gain access to sewage pipes through a leak, which could be close by or far away from the toilet they show up in. If the leak is close by, HC would notice signs in their water, such as discolored water, inconsistent water temperature or pressure, or that the water smells or tastes bad. So that answers the how. But why? Sometimes earthworms do not choose which toilets they come up through: it can be entirely random. However, sometimes they do purposefully seek out the drains which are the dirtiest. Since earthworms eat decomposing organic materials, they will find more food in those drains which provide it. The best way to keep earthworms from showing up in one’s drains is to keep them clean. That said, it can still happen accidentally. The best way to remedy an earthworm showing up in your home is just to move it outside and call it a day. Earthworms do not purposefully infest homes.

If HC still has concerns or questions about parasites, we recommend they consult a medical parasitologist, which is a physician who specializes in identifying and treating parasitic infections. To find a medical parasitologist or other health care provider who can actually help, our reader can do one or more of the following:
– Visit our parasite care resources page here: https://www.allaboutworms.com/get-medical-attention-and-tests-for-parasites

– Search for a medical parasitologist in their area using this directory of medical parasitology consultants: https://www.astmh.org/for-astmh-members/clinical-consultants-directory.

– Search for a local parasitologist by doing a Google search for “medical parasitologist (name of the closest big city)” or “tropical medicine specialist (name of the closest big city)”.

In conclusion, we think HC found an earthworm in their toilet, which is nothing to worry about. If HC has any concerns about parasites, we recommend that they consult a medical parasitologist, as we are not able to provide in depth information or advice in this area. We hope this helps, and we wish HC the very best.

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Article Name

Long Red Worm in Toilet is an Earthworm

Description

"Dear All About Worms Community, could you please let me know what kind of worm is this one that I have found in my toilet?" asks HC in their submission regarding the long, brown/red worm-like organism pictured below. "Does it look like a parasite to you? Thanks and kind regards." To answer HC's first question right off the bat, the worm they found is an earthworm. Earthworms are not parasites, so HC needs not worry about that. With that said, we actually cannot answer their second question directly, as only a medical professional is qualified and legally able to confirm the identity of parasites (which we are not), given the medical implications of their discovery. So, we will not be able to state whether or not this worm looks like a parasite, but we will say that it looks like an earthworm.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton