A reader wrote to us recently about some tiny black worms he has found on the carpet in his house. So far, the reader has found about five of the tiny black worms, and they have been spread across two different rooms of the house, both of which are carpeted. The worms appear to be “solid black,” except for their heads, which are a “reddish, brownish” color. The worms also have “tiny hair-like legs.” The reader has several questions about these black-bodied, red-headed worms with legs: where are they coming from? Are they going to grow and multiply? Are they poisonous or harmful? What is the best way to get rid of them? Before concerning ourselves with these questions, though, we must first try to figure out what the tiny black worms are.