EXCITING UPDATE! We have recently come across a new medical provider who actually believes what is going on, and has said they are happy to work with anybody experiencing these symptoms, including remotely. Please see their information by going to our resource page here and looking for “Lighthouse Complex Care”. We are not affiliated with them, and we do not receive compensation or anything else from them, we just have been impressed with how caring they are.
——————————————–
A little while back, we received a very detailed email from a reader about a worm, or what is believed to be a worm, that he encountered. The reader described his situation in some detail: he was sitting on his porch, which is enclosed by screens, when he felt as if he was being bitten on his arm. In response, he examined his arm and found what appeared to be a very small thread. However, the “thread” moved, becoming longer and then contracting again. Because of this movement, the reader concluded that he had come across an extremely small worm. Later, the reader found a few additional tiny worms on his arms and legs.
[NOTE: This reader did not submit a picture with their question. The featured image is of another small black “worm” from our archives.]
Unfortunately, some contradictory information was given. At first, the worm is described as a “tiny skinny black thing,” but then a sentence later, the reader says the creature “isn’t really black” – rather, it is red from blood (from sucking blood, perhaps?). Moreover, the worm “had a slightly larger bulge at one end, which [the reader] realized was a head,” but then exactly the opposite was said later in the reader’s description. Despite the inconsistencies in the description, we’ll try our best to offer some information.
To begin, the worm our reader found doesn’t really sound like a worm, primarily because of its size. While there are certainly small worms in existence, the reader described the creature he found as “very very tiny,” which leads us to think that he might have found some sort of larvae. The larval stage is part of the life cycle of creatures like flies and moths – they are what emerge from the eggs. Without more information, we simply cannot say what kind of larvae our reader might have come across (if indeed he is dealing with larvae at all). Because the reader (kind of) implied that they were a blackish color, the creatures probably aren’t fly or flea larvae, which are a pale, white color. Indeed, this seems to be the case with many forms of larvae, as the larvae of the moth fly, a common type of larvae found, are also a pale, white color. In any case, these types of larvae, or really any kind of larvae that we are aware of, are not known to bite, much less suck blood.
Given this fact about larvae, it is conceivable that our reader has found extremely small leeches, which would explain the biting and sucking of blood our reader experienced. Leeches are often a blackish hue, and they do have heads that are discernible from the rest of their bodies (even though it isn’t clear if the reader’s creatures have discernible heads). Most leeches live in aqueous environments, so if our reader did find leeches, they most likely attached themselves when our reader was in water. However, a few species live in terrestrial habitats, so our reader still may be dealing with leeches even if he hadn’t been in water before finding these creatures.
Based on the physical description of the creature our reader found, it sounds like some type of larvae, which are common, and therefore it wouldn’t be unusual to find them around one’s home. However, the fact the reader described being bitten, and also that the creature seemed to suck blood, leads us to think that he might actually be dealing with a very small leech. Yet another possibility is that our reader has Morgellons worm (a.k.a. Morgellons disease), a bizarre ailment that some believe is carried by nematodes, but the disease is not recognized as a parasitic infection by most of the medical community. We are not medical doctors, though, so this of course does not count as any sort of diagnosis, and we only mention it because of the considerable uncertainty surrounding our reader’s situation. Better to include too much than too little, at least in this situation.
Unfortunately, we can’t be certain what our reader is dealing with, but hopefully the options we listed help.
All About Worms is always free, always reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP Publishing.
CashApp us
Venmo us
Paypal us
You might also find these guys interesting!
White Worms with Dark Heads in Horse’s Water Bucket May be Larvae- Five Black Worms in Home Could be Cutworms
- White Object in Dog’s Bowl Could be a Larva
- White Worms With Brown Heads in Light Fixture are Beetle Larvae
- Dark Brown, Segmented Worm on Driveway is a Leech
- Black Snake-like Organisms Under Carpet Could be Millipedes
- Black Worms Found Under Cat’s Scratching Pads Might be Fungus Gnat Larvae
- Black Worms All Over Bed Could be Insect Larvae
So just recently I noticed something felt like it was like jumping on my arm and every time I turn the light on there’s nothing so I was watching and would try to see if I could see it thru the tv light and I did see something. Idk what it’s extremely TINY like the size of a little sparkle but like black and it looks like it’s jumping but as soon as I can just catch the movement out of the corner of my eye it’s gone and it’s like a bunch more then catch my eye somewhere else. I thought I was just going crazy until my 2 year old was itching and like swatting in her sleep. Then i could feel it like bite me and it looked like a zit or small pimple. Right away I wash all of my laundry. we don’t have a dryer so I was hanging drying and in the bottom of my hamper I swear it it look like a medium length black cat hair, and none bunched up like cat fur does each one was separate all over the bottom moving in all these different directions and it was freaking me out so I talk to my mom about it who it just blew me off like I was just seeing stuff which yeah that point let’s be serious I’m pretty sure I was maybe just not only in my imagination like she was saying lol next I was seeing little black hairs on my walls in my room and I figured maybe it’s just cat fur singly except for it’s like moving in like a coordinated wave almost like a squiggle like in the laundry basket. they’re just so tiny I don’t know, so I’ve still been trying to figure out what these little black dots that I feel like I continue to see and have been getting worse and worse Witten started thinking you know. Must be some kind of parasite or a flea, or some kind of mite or I don’t know, and I have been going back-and-forth with myself for at least a week using the vacuum cleaner and have been steam cleaning everything along with everything’s out in my garage in the winter in MN hoping that it will maybe kill whatever and I’m dealing with until last night I went and bought a brand new air mattress. I went and bought brand, new sheets and mattress, topper and comforter, and the cat got a collar for fleas, and we laid new mattress she went to sleep, and I got frustrated because they were leaving him alone and coming after me. when I went in my room, I sat on my other bed, watching some TV and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw like a spider crawling in from under my door, and instead, I noticed that there’s a cotton, black and white, cheetah print bag sitting on my floor, and it looked as though it was moving, and when I looked down again, I could see something extremely tiny casting a shadow and was walking on my wood floor towards the bag, and then on the bag and then on the tarp after the big towards my myself on that part of my bed and as soon as these little things got close, I could start feeling a little spot thingies all over my arms and whatever and got a little worried that they were somehow following me so I don’t know why but I I got up and I walked towards my door and I could see all these little black worms. I don’t even know thing like turn, and start coming towards me almost like what an inchworm would do but very very very tiny and skinny and other times it would just kind of wiggle towards me so I freaked out a little bit and I went into my bathroom and I was sitting on the toilet looking towards my door and I could see them coming towards me bye sound insane I know I do I tested it quite a few times and it got to the point where I needed to come outside and not be in my apartment anymore because maybe whatever these little things are hard aren’t fleas on my cat I don’t know and I’ve been looking up online everything I basically have just described and it. My whole family thinks I’m insane nobody believes me. I also have way better eyesight than basically everybody in my family so I don’t know if it’s just because I have better eyesight, and I can see smaller things like almost microscopic things, some microscopic things , I don’t know but I am like truly creeped out especially by the lake first interview I read on this because for me, they started out as little black specs, and then it turned into like little thin, black lines that turned into some kind of like worm like a black worm and when I was on my toilet and it was coming towards me in the bathroom, it looked almost like a light brown or tan color on the dark wood and when it would get into the bathroom, it looked like a little black hair again and when it got really close to me all of a sudden it didn’t look like a hair it looked like a speck, and I could feel it as soon as it landed on me. I know I know I’m insane I am I don’t know why or how that in my entire life i’ve never who is needed, except for when on drugs. Idk I do have to say tho to all the people who think I must have bed bugs I might not be allergic to bed bugs so I don’t get the welts but that felt more like little things like climbing and crawling all over not jumping or like worms following me. I’ve been concerned for about 18 months that I may have some kind of parasite but the tests I’ve taken for those are not getting to them to test within 2 hours and the tests have all come back “your test was negative but this does not mean that you have no parasitic infection”
Ok, hi. I’m going CRAZY! No ONE, will take me SERIOUSLY or even correctly look at my head for a lice check! I feel, jumping biting, moving things in my hair, which is blonde.it used to be down to my shoulders. In early spring of last year, I live in Pennsylvania. I walked under, a big tree out front of my apt. I felt, something fall directly on the top of my head.
I took videos and pictures? I don’t know, what I’m looking!? But, they BITE, burrow and my hair is now very coarse and almost bald. When, I magnify the phone, lens to take videos these are UGLY and mean looking creatures! They, NOT only ate my HAIR? But, they BITE. I’ve TRIED EVERYTHING. Bleach, clorox, dishwashing,gain, alcohol, everything.. NOTHING, works. When it first started,THERE was only ONE bug that took all my might to, pray it off my scalp. It looked like a cenipided, but, with 4 long black legs!? A yr and a half LATER, there’s all different kinds, they are fast, they go into my eyes, ears nose and mouth. I taped my head, with clear packing tape, the need air. What I saw, looked liked fast slugs made of mucus?! Please, help!I’ve even tried picking ONE up off my scalp as it wiggled to get out of my grasp I noticed, the bartered I heard it it would HEAT itself up so HOT, I had to let go!
There’s ONE LARGE black one At the base of my head/ hair/scalp? They hide from light a n roll, up in my HAIR to disguise themselves. I’m being treated, like a PYSCHO! I assure you, I’m NOT! Some I know what your going to think I thought it to, under the lens magnified. Some, have the face of a DOG or ear!? I know, I’m not crazy cause, my boyfriend saw one moving and tried to take it off.. It was gross, he said it bit him but then once it was off he squeezed it and it was like mucous!? I don’t know, what this is or what to do? I’ve gotten my kids taken from me and no-one will help!!!
They also, bite but lay eggs!? I had green, and looked like moles on my head that really hurt! My bf, once again pushed it out, it was very painful but these things come out? Some are even translucent in color! Please help, they fall out of my hair and roll down my back into my areas!? I’ve been placed, in 4 Psych ward’s! I don’t know what to do? Who to trust!? N I look horrible, used to be somewhat pretty n my HAIR has always been fine n thin.please call at 610-910-1034 or email Ja*********@gm***.com. Please, help!! Thank you.. I wear hats, like tight beanie hats. I want my children back! It’s hurts BEYOND belief
Hi Jaime,
I have (and am still) experiencing the same phenomena as you’ve described. I went through the same thought processes as well as having most people not take it seriously.
I did not and will not go to Dr with this issue due to researching the best I could and finding other stories that resulted in the same way as your story. All stories I’ve encountered with these symptoms end with a mental health-related diagnosis, regardless of proof and evidence presented to the Drs.
For there to be a group of people all experiencing the same physical symptoms is, by definition, a medical condition. It can not possibly be a mental health issue with so many unrelated people experiencing the same physical symptoms. Especially with the symptoms being so unique.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any remedies or ways of coping with the condition. I would love to know if you or anyone else has found anything that gives relief.
We have recently added a new provider on our resources page who we believe will absolutely take you seriously; please look at our resources page and see “Lighthouse”. We are not affiliated with Lighthouse, and we receive no compensation or anything else from them, we just have been impressed with how caring they are. Here is our resource page: https://www.allaboutworms.com/get-medical-attention-and-tests-for-parasites
Just now I’m sitting at a bar and I feel a sting on my inside Lower arm And I look down and see a very small, thin, blackish worm and I brushed it off and the bite turned Into a small red raised bump and a few minutes later it doesn’t sting or itch .
I was mowing and weeding my yard in south Texas this past weekend. As I reached down to pull some weeds, I felt a sting on the inside of my arm, just at and above my elbow. I looked to see a very tiny, skinny, red thread-looking thing. Maybe 1/4 inch long, it moved like an inchworm. Brushed it off pretty fast and saw two tiny red marks where it bit or stung me. Kind of felt like fire ant bites. It’s Tuesday and those two little red marks are much bigger and wider and itchy. One is 1/2″ across and the other is over an inch. No infection that I can tell. I’m not sick. NO idea what that thing was. Sounds like your description in the original post. Any info?? Thanks.
I had the same similar thing happen and I look now like I got the measles but itchy and spreads like psoriasis. Needles to say I ended up in patient cause I kept bottoming out (blood pressure drop), they ran a ton of test to rule out and never found the real diagnosis out cure/treatment. Went to Urgent care two days after released, cause got worse (everywhere on me but palms and does of feet), no help there both said contact dermatitis, lol. Now went to my dermatologist and had a biopsy on one of the spots…. Waiting on results..
I had the same similar thing happen and I look now like I got the measles but itchy and spreads like psoriasis. Needles to say I ended up in patient cause I kept bottoming out (blood pressure drop), they ran a ton of test to rule out and never found the real diagnosis out cure/treatment. Went to Urgent care two days after released, cause got worse (everywhere on me but palms and does of feet), no help there both said contact dermatitis, lol. Now went to my dermatologist and had a biopsy on one of the spots(4 centimeter in width and inch depth?)…. Waiting on results.. also I was given a very expensive prescription at the hospital while in until I left, as one of the rule outs, but insurance won’t pay for it unless medically necessary and doctor isn’t responding to the pharmacy’s emails. But I can tell you it didn’t help anyways….
I have had a worm coming out of the pores in my scalp, nose, and mouth for over 2 years. I have been to my doctor, the dermatologist, psychiatrist and e.r. Doctor at UCLA. This worm comes in three colors, black, brown and white.malll 3 are different lengths, different widths but have a v shaped end which I assume is the head because that is the end that is in front when it moves forward. When in water it can swim and when on skin it can move like a worm but I so not know how because it seems smooth without legs. The second worm That comes out of my head is brown with a roundish head that stands straight up, looks around, and can bend over. The third worm is shiny black with a pointed end moving forward and a tapered end on the other end. IThose are about an inch long and slimmer and dives in and out of the pores opposed to the others that come out only but can be endless in length. The v shaped white are long and some are short,the short being the only one with a definite straight across end as if it had been cut in half with scissors. The last one is pinkish, no defines head or tail, some cylindrical yet some fluke light shaped, more larvae looking. I have lost all my hair. I wear wigs and under the wig I wear a knee high stocking. When I put the stocking under running hot water it blows up like a balloon making the contents visible. The shape, size and color are clearly seen as they swim frantically in an attempt to get out quickly out of the stocking. Imhave pictures and videos of a stocking that came off while I was in the pool and you can see the worms poking thru, some dropping out. There mare bulges where you can see hundreds of eggs, cleanish and white roundish balls. They have these eggs I think, before they drown because it happens after the stream of hot water has been pouring over them for a while. The stocking can twist itself into,a,knot as it tries to avoid being under the stream of hot water, darting, constricting and backing away. while one end of the blown up stocking gets itself tangled under the water faucet the other end of the stocking is pulling the whole length safely away from the steaming water, looking like a bloated ship on the ocean, with all the contents wildly poking out in different directions. I have videos and ofcourse am never without new opporturtumities as I wear a new stocking 3 or 4 times a day. I never use a stocking twice. The e,r, doctor at UCLA was the only doctor who would take a look at my pictures and videos and when he saw them he told me to,get back home to the town I drove from, see my doctor and get a referral to see an infectious disease specialist and return to UVLA immediately. My Opthamologist saw the brown worm in my eye as it very quickly went by.They are in my eyes, all three different colors go from my eyeball, down my face, enter my nose or nose or mouth. I wear dentures and use denture glue. They have made holes in my dentures,,enabling them to live and eat right in my mouth. Please help me,if you have any information.
Thank you and please help me.
Did you ever find out what you have ? I also have this ..described to a Y..lol but not really. Anyway I hope find d a resolution and some peace soon.
Ever find what it was? My friend daughter experiencing the same thing and they wouldn’t believe her at first until the doc she went last saw first hand come out to wrap his finger. a.waround it
I noticed a black clump on my wall next to my sliding glass door in my bedroom. I took a tissue and wiped it off. I looked at it closely and there were tiny black wormlike creatures wiggling in the tissue. It definitely looks like what was described above. Not to mention I leave the door open often on cool evenings without the screen. Which allows moths and other flying insects to enter. Not a site to see just before I fall asleep as it invites nightmares.