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Posted in Caterpillars Inch Worms Worms Generally

Black Worm with Curved Back is an Inchworm

“What is this guy?” is all Brooke asks in her submission regarding the black, worm-like creature pictured below. It has an arched back and bulbous head, which tells us that this is an inchworm. Usually it is much harder to identify organisms without more context, or without a clearer photo, but the shape of this creature is so specific to inchworms that we knew it had to be one. Inchworms have legs at the front and back of their body, which forces them to curve their back in this way as they ‘inch’ their way forward.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

Tiny Worms in Baby’s Cot are Inchworms

“These teeny tiny worm-type things have suddenly appeared in our baby’s cot!” writes Kristin in her submission regarding the segmented creature with the bulbous head pictured below. “They look like bits of dirt initially, but when we looked closer they are moving! Could they be inchworms? And is this common in a babies cot? Thank you.” Based on the great photo Kristin sent in, as well as her keen eye for caterpillars, we can confirm that this is indeed an inchworm. Firstly, and most importantly, inchworms are not harmful to babies, or to grown adults for that matter. They are caterpillars of moth species which are endemic to North America, and they are characterized by the placement of their legs (at the front and back) which makes them arch their back as they walk.

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Posted in Caterpillars Inch Worms Worms Generally

Small Black Worms Swarming Home Office are Inchworms

“Found these little guys on the floor of my home office”, writes Elle in her submission regarding the minuscule, black, worm-like organisms pictured below. “Seemed to be all clustered together in one spot. Not able to find/see any anywhere else within the home. I suspect moth larvae after spending hours on google, but really not sure. Any ideas please? Many thanks.” To start with, we want to commend Elle on the excellent photos she sent in. The first one below captures (in incredible detail) one of the tiny critters. It is hard to photograph creatures this small in this much detail! The second photo shows just how many of the things she found in her office. Elle is completely right in suspecting these as moth larvae, cause that is exactly what they are. To be precise, she found inchworms.

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Posted in Caterpillars Inch Worms Worms Facts

Tiny, Black Worm-like Creatures Roaming Around Apartment are Inchworms

“I live in southern Ontario and I noticed these little guys roaming around my apartment (see picture)”, writes Rachel in her submission regarding the tiny, black, worm-like creature pictured below. “Just wondering if I should be concerned. They seem to just crawl on my floor, the side of my mattress, and on my clothes. I’ve washed everything and swept and mopped the floors, but it’s tough to get them all. I’m just hoping they don’t turn into moths in a couple of weeks if I missed one. I’m pretty clean to begin with (as I live in a small studio) so I’m really puzzled where they came from. Thanks!”

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Posted in Case Bearing Larva Caterpillars Worms Found in the House

Half White, Half Black Worms By Rabbit Cage Could be Casemaking Clothes Moth Caterpillars

“I’ve seen these worms the last two mornings on my kitchen floor next to my rabbit cage”, writes Matthew about the curious creature pictured below. “Can you identify them? They’re TINY, with a half white, half black body.” First of all, thank you for the excellent photograph Matthew: we see exactly what you mean by the worm’s half white, half black body, and this is something we haven’t quite seen before. The thinner, white part resembles that of a generic insect larva (many of them being a similar, translucent white color), while the thicker, black part looks almost like a shell encasing the lower half of the worm.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Cluster of Gray Worm-like Critters are American Ermine Moth Caterpillars

“What is this?” asks Shannon about the plethora of tiny, gray worm-like critters pictured below. “It was right inside the house by the sliding glass door.” Despite the lack of context, this is one of those instances where we can tell what these are based merely on the photos. This tight cluster of gray worms with black heads, next to the group of translucent ball-shaped objects, could only be American ermine moth caterpillars, otherwise known as white ermine moth caterpillars.

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Posted in Caterpillars Indian Meal Moth Larvae Worms Found in the House

Why Do Moth Larvae Enter People’s Homes?

“Where do the moth larvae come from?” asks this reader in his submission. “Why are they in my house?” He does not attach any photos to his submission, nor does he provide further context, so we do not know exactly which moth larvae he is dealing with. That said, we will nonetheless provide a brief overview of some of the moth larvae people typically find in their home and why and how they end up there. Moths are insects, and like any insect passes through three distinct stages of life: ‘larvahood’, pupation, and finally adulthood (when they have metamorphosed into a moth).

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

Inchworm-like Critters Found in Dahlia Flowers are Budworms

“Can you help me identify these critters?” asks this reader about the pink and purple worm-like organisms pictured below. “They move like inchworms and vary from about 0.5-1-inch when I’ve seen them.”

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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Inch Worms

Tiny Larva with Bulbous Black Head is Likely an Inchworm

“What is this?” is all this reader asks in her submission. The creature she is referring to appears to be black and gray in color, with a bulbous black head that sits atop a skinny body with two-to-three sets of prolegs.

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Posted in Caterpillars Interesting Worms Worms Generally

A Brief Overview of Stick Caterpillars

Stick caterpillars have been found by this reader, who has graciously presented us with excellent pictures and a video of these creatures. This article will provide a basic overview of these wonderful insects.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Found in the House Worms Generally

Moth Infestation Spawns Concerns Over Parasites

“We seem to have an infestation of moths and what we’re thinking might be larvae,” states this reader in her submission regarding the array of photos below. Our reader wonders if the appearance of this moth and its larvae could be connected to parasites “in some way.”

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Posted in Case Bearing Larva Caterpillars Pest Worms

White Worms with Brown Heads Infesting Angora Couch are Casemaking Clothes Moth Larvae

“I’m really freaked out. Please help!” exclaims our reader in her submission concerning the larvae and casings she recently found in her sofa. “The worms are white with a tiny bit of brown on the end.”

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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Inch Worms

Gray and Yellow Worms Forming Webs in Grandmother’s Plum Tree are Tent Caterpillars

“What kind of worms are these and how do you get rid of them?” asks this reader about the gray and yellow-patterned creatures in the photographs below. “They are ruining my grandmother’s plum tree,” our reader states.

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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Inch Worms

Worm that Reminds Woman of “Alien vs Predator” is Just an Inchworm

“You are my last hope or I’m about to call it an alien invasion” says this reader, starting her query off with a bang. This beige, wood-colored worm-like creature “has no legs on the middle part of his body” and as a result “walks quite strange.”

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Posted in Composting Worms Pest Worms Worms Found in the House

Maggots Roaming Bathroom Floor Could be Clothes Moth Larvae or House Fly Larvae

“I have found about seven of these tiny white maggots on my bathroom floor this morning in various locations” states this reader about the short, maggot-like creatures pictured below. Our reader additionally asks where the creatures may be coming from and what she can do to get rid of them.

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Posted in Caterpillars Interesting Worms Worms Facts

Brown, Stick-like Worm Found on Deck is a Stick Caterpillar

“I found this thing on my back deck on some rugs I took out to shake,” says this reader about the long, brown object in the photograph below. Our reader says that “it had split at the darker end” but that it is “tubular at the other end.”

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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Worms Generally

Strange, Green Caterpillar Found Near Garden is a Cutworm

“When I first saw it, I thought it was a small, skinny pinecone,” says this reader in Saskatchewan, Canada about the “weird caterpillar/grub” she found near her garden. The grub in question is a dark green color and has a body with clear segmentation.

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Posted in Caterpillars Worms Facts Worms Generally

Polka-dotted Pink Worm with Large Eye Spot is a Pandora Sphinx Moth Caterpillar

“I have never seen anything like it before,” says this reader of the worm-like creature she found in her kitchen one morning. The creature appears to have a segmented body, pink in color with small black dots, and has what appears to be a large, black and yellow eye spot at one end of its body.

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Posted in Army Worms Garden Worms Pest Worms

Gray and Black Caterpillar is a Budding Fall Armyworm

A gray caterpillar-like creature with a glossy black head was found by this reader, who asks what kind of “worm” it is and where it is coming from. This article will do its best to answer these questions and provide some insightful information on this specific organism.

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Posted in Caterpillars Garden Worms Inch Worms

Tiny, Skinny Little Thing On Shorts is Likely an Inchworm

“I found this tiny, skinny little thing on my shorts after coming home from a run,” says this reader, who asks if we can identify the worm-like creature. Although it is difficult to tell from the photograph, which was taken at a distance from the worm, the creature appears to be a dark color (perhaps a black or dark brown), with a thin, elongated body.