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Posted in Parasite Worms Worms Facts Worms Generally

String-looking Worm in Stream is a Horsehair Worm

“I was wondering if the white, string-looking thing in the attached video was some kind of worm”, writes this reader about the creature pictured below. “I saw it in a bucket of dirt/rocks I’d brought home from a stream in South Dakota. They were visibly moving in the water but shriveled up quickly after taking out and putting it on a rock. Thanks for the help.” Based on the context, as well as the excellent photo and video, we would say it is possible that this is some type of worm. The only thing that has us questioning this is the video: the way that worm is blowing in the wind as if it’s a dry noodle seems a bit odd. We’re not sure a worm would be blown about quite so easily in the wind, even if it was dried out. But then again, we haven’t had a lot of experience with dried worms blowing around in the wind, so who are we to say?

Posted in Marine Worms Parasite Worms

Stream Worms

Tubifex worms live in streams and rivers. They also function as a host for whirling disease (WD) which cannot live without the help of this worm. WD can cause significant damage to the ecosystem of a stream or river as it infects fish causing many to die.