“Thread-like”, Gray-Black Worms are American Ermine Moth Caterpillars

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“These are small thread-like worms: they were also seen hanging,” says this reader about the blackish worm-like critters in the photo below. The creatures have a “fur-like spin” and our reader asks if we think they are “dangerous or harmful”.

It was immediately clear to us that the worm-like creatures our reader found are American ermine moth caterpillars. Their identity is given away by their characteristic segmented, gray-black bodies, as well as the long bristles extending from their bodies and the translucent eggs lying by their side. These critters are neither dangerous nor harmful, so our reader does not need to worry about this possibility.

In fact, it is not uncommon for people to find a nest of American ermine moth larvae such as this one in their home, and it has happened before to our very own readers. Like many species of moths, the mother moth likely flew into our reader’s home in search of shelter for her eggs, and did not intend on starting an infestation (that is assuming that moths can have intentions).

That said, this is not an infestation just because there is a large number of larvae in our reader’s home. As the caterpillars only eat strawberry bushes, there will be nothing in our reader’s home for them to infest or be interested in. For that reason, simply moving the caterpillars outside will suffice in dealing with their intrusion.

It should also be noted that even if our reader does not reside in the Americas, that does not mean these are not American ermine moth caterpillars. Despite the name, these moths and their offspring can be found all over the world. Likewise, these caterpillars are known for the massive webs they spin on the plants that host them in order to hide their numbers from predators and detract them from disturbing them. Mark Parsons wrote an an article for ButterflyConservation.org about these webs that makes for quite an interesting read, should our reader find herself more curious about these caterpillars.

To conclude, the “thread-like worms” our reader found “hanging” from what we presume to be her ceiling are American ermine moth caterpillars. They are not dangerous or harmful in any way to humans or pets, so our reader has nothing to fear. We hope this article has put her mind at ease and we wish her the best!

 

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Summary
"Thread-like", Gray-Black Worms are American Ermine Moth Caterpillars
Article Name
"Thread-like", Gray-Black Worms are American Ermine Moth Caterpillars
Description
"These are small thread-like worms: they were also seen hanging," says this reader about the blackish worm-like critters in the photo below. The creatures have a "fur-like spin" and our reader asks if we think they are "dangerous or harmful".
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Author: Worm Researcher Anton

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