“We have found these worms underneath the pavers around our pool”, writes this reader about the red worms covered in sand pictured below. “Do you know if they are blood worms? Also how do we get rid of them? They seem to be pushing moist dirt up through the pavers. Thanks!” Given the color of the worms and the location they were found, we would say it is likely that these are bloodworms. We cannot say this with 100% certainty, as we cannot really see the physical characteristics of the worms, seeing as they are covered in sand. But assuming these are bloodworms, we will do our best to give our reader the information she asks for.

“This was found in a pool in Boca Raton, Florida”, writes this reader about the long, black, worm-like creature pictured below. “What is it?” At first glance, given the length and color of the worm, we thought it might be a New Guinea flatworm: an invasive species of flatworm that was discovered in the United States not so long ago, in 2012. However, upon looking at the creature’s not-so-flat shape, and the way in which its body twists in a manner unlike that of a flatworm, we have concluded that this is not a worm at all, but a snake.