“I was washing towels and removing them from the washer and found this worm in the bottom”, writes this reader about the pink, worm-like organism pictured below. “I am a new renter in this home. Please help. What is it ? How can I prevent this from happening again? Thanks for your help!” Based on the photo alone, though it is quite blurry, we would say this looks like a palm flower caterpillar or a white-blotched Heterocampa caterpillar. Neither species of caterpillar is harmful to humans, though we do suggest avoiding physical contact, as allergic reactions can still occur.

The palm flower caterpillar is the larval stage of the palm flower moth. As its name suggests, these caterpillars feed on the flowers of palm trees, and will not stray far from their host plant. They even pupate at the base of the tree, and only leave once they have transformed into a moth. With that said, when strong gusts of wind come about, palm flower caterpillars can get blown off the trees. If blown far enough away from the trees, they have been known to enter people’s homes, which could be what happened in this case. In our opinion, regardless of the species of the worm-like creature our reader found, it likely fell on (or was blown onto) our reader while she was outside, and then ended up in the washer as it was still stuck to a piece of clothing that was put in there.

The white-blotched Heterocampa caterpillar (which is a species of moth) also prefers trees, though this one prefers oak trees. They are typically found in parks and deciduous forests, and the adult moths have been known to enter people’s homes, as they are nocturnal and attracted to light. With that in mind, if the creature our reader found was a white-blotched Heterocampa caterpillar, then we suppose another way this caterpillar could have ended up in the washer is if an adult moth flew into our reader’s home and laid her eggs there. If that were the case, there would be more caterpillars roaming around her home.

Determining which species of caterpillar this is depends on where our reader lives. If she lives in a hotter climate where palm trees grow, like Arizona or Florida, then this could very well be a palm flower caterpillar. If she lives in a more temperate climate with parks and/or deciduous forests nearby, then this is more likely a white-blotched Heterocampa caterpillar. That said, when it comes to preventing more caterpillars from entering the home, the methods are the same regardless of the species. When entering the home at night, don’t keep the door open for long, or a moth could quickly fly in. Additionally, replace or repair any torn window screens, as all sorts of bugs can come into the home this way. Likewise, if our reader has spent any time in areas with trees, she might want to check her clothing and shoes for any caterpillars or bugs before entering her home. Lastly, sealing any sizable cracks in walls and floors can prevent creatures from entering the home that way.

To conclude, we think it is likely our reader found a palm flower caterpillar or a white-blotched Heterocampa caterpillar, though it should be noted that there definitely are other pink caterpillar species. We hope this helps, and we wish our reader the very best!

Summary

Article Name

Pink Worm in Washer is a Palm Flower Caterpillar or a White-blotched Heterocampa Caterpillar

Description

"I was washing towels and removing them from the washer and found this worm in the bottom", writes this reader about the pink, worm-like organism pictured below. "I am a new renter in this home. Please help. What is it ? How can I prevent this from happening again? Thanks for your help!" Based on the photo alone, though it is quite blurry, we would say this looks like a palm flower caterpillar or a white-blotched Heterocampa caterpillar. Neither species of caterpillar is harmful to humans, though we do suggest avoiding physical contact, as allergic reactions can still occur.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton