Worm that Looks Like Black Thread Could Be Horsehair Worm

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One of our readers sent us a picture of a worm-like creature under the microscope. He said that it was about a quarter of the thickness of a hair and it was not possible to see it with the human eye. He wonders what it is, and we think that one possibility is that it could be a horsehair worm.

Here are the pictures that he included:

PossibleHorsehairworm4 PossibleHorsehairworm3 PossibleHorsehairworm2 PossibleHorsehairworm

After looking at the pictures, there is a possibility that our reader has found a horsehair worm. It does seems to have the correct dimensions of a horsehair worm. However, our reader couldn’t actually see the worm without the help of a microscope. Horsehair worms are able to be seen with the naked eye even though they are so thin and skinny.

It could be very possible that our reader does have a horsehair worm in this picture, but it is very hard for us to identify it. Based on the pictures, this could simply be a thin piece of black thread and not even a living creature at all. If our reader has seen it moving, then our best guess for him would be that it is a horsehair worm.

 

 

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Worm that Looks Like Black Thread Could Be Horsehair Worm
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Worm that Looks Like Black Thread Could Be Horsehair Worm
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One of our readers sent us a picture of a worm-like creature under the microscope.
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5 thoughts on “Worm that Looks Like Black Thread Could Be Horsehair Worm

  1. So Weird! I have been checking the same thing out, I went a little crazy i will admit. but the first message sounded so much like my problem. If there is no name for them I think they should be called “Rickiticki” Lol. They are on a lot of stuff and something that does get rid of them is Dawn dish soap but doesn’t keep them away. And I strongly believe they have something to do with their acorns being all over the yard. So many acorns that you couldn’t even see the ground. Violently this year acorns hit my roof side of house as if someone had a sling shot and having fun with them. So many I collected in baskets I just started to put buckets all over to catch as many as I could just sitting there. Then I made some music instruments lol so it was musical when the angry tree flung them off. Anyways possibly having to do with the Oak tree or maybe its the reason I have swollen ankels and my heart acts up when I am 38 year old that eats healthy and stays active. I would love to share my photos from my microscope haha! It is another world under the eye and light of my microscope.

  2. Finally! Recently within our social group there has been a discussion and a diagnosis of worms, albeit our diagnosis only confirms that indeed we do have something that resembles a parasitic nematode but have been unable to find any photo that matches exactly to what we are finding UNTIL NOW.

    Is there any possible way I could to speak to the person who submitted the photos and or the author of this post? Our pictures are identical

    1. Good day
      My name is David I’ve been doing the best I can to research or or even ask what tiny black sometimes blue string worm that has lil circles in it and disperses them once outside my wound or in any general area I scratch. Odd but after a few seconds on paper or even on a flat surface of wood, it would sink into and even cover itself to where you second guess yourself if it was even there? Also my nails where I scratch result into turning black with infested gunkd would become uneven as if an acid type substance was applied, then there would be tiny black burrowed holes that I literally can.plave a tiny needle into to clean and there would be? Yup a lil ball of those stringy things? I have photos time stamped and yes felt embarrassed to even bring it up to anyone the majority would think the worst? I’m not usually on this site by chance I came across it while still searching? Any useful information would be great or if for comparison reasons I would gladly share such photos. I can be reached at du**********@gm***.com then from there I’ll provide a number for quicker contact to tackle this baffling question or questions if what they truly are and if they may be harmful?… Thank you for the time and patience Have a good day.

      1. Hey David, the email address is blocked out, if you put spaces and the word at instead of @ then the bot regulating comments won’t automatically ******out the email address, and then I would be able to contact you because I have been on this mission for a while, to figure out what they are. So far nothing resembles these tiny almost microscopic creatures, I haven’t exhausted all revenues of inquiry quite yet, so hopefully I will get an answer by one of the specialists that I have specimen and pictures to send to for review. As far as dangerous, I suppose psychologically they certainly could be, but I have no concrete evidence that they are anything but just an extreme, relentless annoyance. Time will tell, hopefully, I get the feeling we might be dealing with something new, or previously not recognized and cited, and if I get to name them… I’ll name them wrinkle worms, because they make wrinkles in fabric. Oh, and hopefully soon, we can get something that kills them, besides fire, because I have tried almost everything and they survive washer and dryer in high, and I pressure canned a specimen then froze it for 3 months, didn’t kill it, it’s like they’re tardigrades or something. Hit me up at 11guestguest2000 (at) gmail . com check out “only fire kills”, my YouTube channel. I am posting microscopy and video frequently, there’s lots more to come that I’m working on editing right now, so turn on notifications for my latest discovery, I caught a 12′ specimen! That’s feet, not inches, I suspect it may be multiple, joined together, we will see. Just got a camera for the new microscope, that I bought specifically to research these things. Going for broke.

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