“Found in a potted Spearmint plant”, states Terri in her submission regarding the glossy, segmented, worm-like creature pictured below. “North-Eastern North Dakota. The plant was not growing very well. Wondering if this may be why.” From what we can tell, the worm in question has a clearly segmented, brown body, though we cannot see much else, and this is unfortunately the result of a blurry photograph. If the photo were clearer, we might be able to make out if the caterpillar has legs, or if it has any other distinguishable markings that would set this critter apart from other worm-like organisms.

Despite the blurriness of the photo, we would still conclude that this organism is a caterpillar of some kind, mostly based on the bulbous segments and the location in which it was found. That said, because of the blurriness, we won’t be able to say exactly what species of caterpillar it is. What we do know is that it apparently likes to munch on Terri’s spearmint plant. If it is actually chewing on the leaves, she will be able to tell by looking at them. Of course, if it is chewing on the stems, then that would be harder to notice, but it would definitely impact the growth of the plant.

What we recommend doing is moving the caterpillar outside, as well as changing out the soil for the plant (in case there are other eggs in the soil from which new caterpillars could hatch). Of course, if Terri has a garden, it is probably best to move the caterpillar somewhere not too close to the home. We definitely do not recommend just killing the caterpillar out of convenience: caterpillars make up an essential part of ecosystems, and they are not dangerous to humans or pets. With all of that said, we do still recommend avoiding physical contact with the caterpillar when moving it outside, as allergic reactions can still occur.

To conclude, we think that the segmented, brown creature Terri found in her spearmint plant is a caterpillar of some kind. We are not sure exactly what species it belongs to, but we do not believe Terri has anything to fear with regard to her health or anybody else’s. If she wants a second opinion, we can recommend taking the specimen to her local county extension office. We hope that this helps and we wish her the very best!

Summary

Article Name

Segmented, Brown Worm in Spearmint Plant is Likely a Caterpillar

Description

"Found in a potted Spearmint plant", states Terri in her submission regarding the glossy, segmented, worm-like creature pictured below. "North-Eastern North Dakota. The plant was not growing very well. Wondering if this may be why." From what we can tell, the worm in question has a clearly segmented, brown body, though we cannot see much else, and this is unfortunately the result of a blurry photograph. If the photo were clearer, we might be able to make out if the caterpillar has legs, or if it has any other distinguishable markings that would set this critter apart from other worm-like organisms.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton