Continue Reading
Posted in Centipedes and Millipedes Worms Found in the House Worms Generally

Segmented, Brown Worm-like Critters on Sweater are Millipedes

“I found two of these worms on a sweater I was lint rolling”, writes Allison in her submission regarding the tiny, brown worm-like critter pictured below. “The sweater had been out in my garage in my laundry area before I had a chance to wash it (it’s cashmere so I washed it by hand in cold water). After washing and air drying (which took a few days because it’s been gloomy here), I lint rolled and found two of these worms. I did notice a few holes in the sweater so I thought they were some type of moth larva but from what I could find moth larvae are more rigid and these are moving like worms. I am horrified. What are they?” To start with, we want to thank Allison for the great photos, the best of which we included below. Clear photos like these are always a huge help. We also want to sympathize with Allison: finding unwanted guests in your home, let alone on your clothing, can definitely be horrifying.

Continue Reading
Posted in Caterpillars Parasite Worms Worms Facts

Segmented Worm on Daughter’s Leg Could be a Caterpillar

“This was stuck to my daughter’s leg after a day of being outside in the garden”, writes this reader about the segmented, brown creature pictured below. “It didn’t bleed when I pulled it off but was definitely stuck to her. It did curl up when I pulled it off. We are in Connecticut. What is it?” Right away, we have to point out that we will only be able to make an educated guess as to what this creature could be. The reason for this is that our reader’s photo is low resolution and was taken quite far away from the creature, meaning that when we zoom in to try and get a better look at the creature, the details become blurry.

Continue Reading
Posted in Centipedes and Millipedes Worms Found in the House Worms Generally

Black Worm-like Critter with Antennae is a Millipede

“What is this worm?” asks this reader in her submission regarding the small, black organism pictured below. “How do I get rid of it? They’re everywhere. I’m in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.” Based on the excellent photo she sent, we think that this is a millipede. Its segmentation, size, and antennae point to this conclusion, as well as the apparent lack of legs. What we must note is that millipedes actually possess many legs, and that is what they are known for, but since they grow from the underside of their bodies, they are often not visible. As such, people often mistake millipedes for worms and marvel at how they seemingly glide across a surface.

Continue Reading
Posted in Carpet Beetle Larvae Pest Worms Worms Found in the House

Bug Found on Daughter’s Sheets is a Carpet Beetle Larva

A father in Arizona found a “bug” in his daughter’s sheets, and wonders if we can identify it for him. The creature in question appears to be minuscule in size, ovate in shape, and striped in brown and tan colors.

Posted in Segmented Worms Annelida

Segmented Worms – Phylum Annelida

Segmented worms are placed in the phylum Annelida, which consists of over 12,000 species of segmented worms grouped into three classes comprising freshwater worms and earthworms, marine worms, and leeches.

Posted in Segmented Worms Annelida

Segmented Worms

Do you know how many species of segmented worms there are? Did you know that segmented worms are highly evolved, with a circulatory system and complex nervous system? There are over 12,000 species of segmented worm – how many segmented worms can you name?