Suicidal Potato Bugs
October 4, 2009
I’ve recently added a pond to my backyard garden. I’ve seen the Potato Bugs before, but usually leave them alone. Lately, I’ve been finding them at the bottom of the pond. The first week, there were 2 of them, this past week, 2 more and today, 6 we’re drowned at the bottom of the pond. I wonderd if I had disturbed their pathway and they are just falling and and drowning, or if these Potato Bugs are Suicidal?
Bizzare questionaire
Santa Maria, California
Dear Bizzare questiionaire,
Potato Bugs that have been parasitized by Horsehair Worms or Gordian Worms often exhibit this suicidal behavior. When the parasitic worm is ready to leave its hosts, its next stage of life is in water, hence the Potato Bugs “desire” to drown itself.
Dark Golden Slug with one Black Stripe
August 8, 2009
Hey Bugman!
My father found this outside our house here in Georgia. He asked me to take a look at it because he thought I would know. I took a look and I have no idea what it is. It’s a dark golden color, slimy, has a wide head area, (Shaped like a hammerhead shark) legless, and has a black stripe running from it’s head down to it’s tail. It leaves a pretty nice slime trail so I’m guessing it’s a type of slug. Can you end this weird mystery for my father? He’s dying to know. Thanks!
Sean M.
Albany, GA
Arrowhead Flatworm
Hi Sean,
You have found an Arrowhead Flatworm or Land Planarian, Bipalium kewense. Your specimen has a dark head and lacks the two distinct dorsal stripes normally associated with the species. According to a Texas website: “Now the good news . . . Land Panarians are effective predators as they will eat slugs and many types of harmful insect larvae. The thought of having a beneficial that preys on slugs should be encouraging! But now the not-so-good news . . . while all of this sounds rather benign, the land planarian is not necessarily without flaws (at least from a gardener’s perspective—but Mother Nature does not operate in such black-and-white perspectives). Like an earthworm, it burrows in moist soil, but it can exhibit much more sinister epicurean habits. Although it will eat slugs and harmful insect larvae, the Land Planarian will also dine on earthworms! It does so by lying atop the earthworm (the sticky mucus holds the earthworm to the soil. The land planarian then protrudes its pharynx out of its mouth and into the earthworm to suck out bodily fluids of an earthworm. Land Planarians are reported to be cannibalistic when food resources are low. This may help to keep the population down, since the mucus membrane of the worm deters most other pests.” According to the Featured Creatures website which has a photo of a specimen with the same coloration as your specimen: “Habitat: Because land planarians are photo-negative during daylight hours and require high humidity, they are found in dark, cool, moist areas under objects such as rocks, logs, in debris, or under shrubs, and on the soil surface following heavy rains. Land planarians are also found in caves, but are rare in rural sites. Movement and feeding occur at night. High humidity is essential to survival. They can survive desiccation only if water loss does not exceed 45 percent of their body weight. Land planarians are most abundant in spring and fall.”
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Posted 08 August 2009
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Worms wanted
July 23, 2009
bhanelt@unm.edu
http://www.nematomorpha.net
Hi. I am studying hairworms, Gordian worms, or nematomorphs at the University of New Mexico. Several other biologists and I have started a study of the biodiversity and distribution of these critters in the New World. I noticed that some of your readers have noted Gordian worms, and I would very much appreciate if you would spread the word that we would love for people to collect and send us these worms. As you know, not much is known about this animal phylum, and we would like to change that with your help.
Thanks for your time, consideration, and great website!
Cheers…Ben
Ben Hanelt
Hi Ben,
Normally, we do not print email addresses, but in this case, we suspect you would like our readership to contact you directly.
Daniel:
Thanks for your quick reply, and thanks again for your awesome website. I think your site probably saves us biologists a lot of time identifying strange creatures- fantastic!
If you would put up a post of my e-mail or even just my website address, that would be great. I will also work on linking to your site from ours, as I think it will be very useful for people who end up at our site.
Thanks again, and feel free to pick my brain anytime you get a posting that leaves you puzzled (I get those once in a while, and I am still not sure about some: is it animal, plant, or alien?).
Cheers…Ben
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Posted 24 July 2009
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Segmeted pencil-lead sized 12″ long
Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 10:05 AM
I have seen these at my house at least four times in the past eleven years. They have been on the driveway or walkway after a rain. I kept the first one in moist dirt in a baggy but it died.
The distal end is bifurcated with grippers. The proximal end is smooth and probing.
Laurie
N 35.50162694, W120.69228172
Horsehair Worm
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for the detailed coordinates, but we haven’t a GPS device to get a named location. Seems like we are probably talking San Luis Obispo, California. This is a Horsehair Worm or Gordian Worm. It is an internal parasite that preys upon Potato Bugs and other Orthopterans. We have also received reports in conjunction with Camel Crickets and Spiders.
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Posted 05 March 2009
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Very small thin long white worm found in garden.
Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 1:57 PM
I was gardening and found this very thin and small in diameter, long, almost string like. Looked like a piece of sewing thread. I was digging up dirt and happen to see it and it began moving. Wondering what this is and if its harmful to me or my pets.
Paizly Contreras
Woodland, Ca, United States
Unknown White Worm
Hi Paizly,
We didn’t think this hairlike or threadlike worm would be that difficult to identify, but the exact identification is proving quite elusive for us. We believe this is a Nematode Worm of some type, but we are not certain. We feel confident that one of our readers will be able to properly identify your White Worm.
Hi Paizly
Free living soil nematodes are usually very small, typically less than 1 mm in length. This could be a displaced parasitic nematode, but I am inclined to think it may be a juvenile nematomorph (a.k.a. Gordian worm or horsehair worm). As juveniles, nematomorphs are parasites of insects and other arthropods. When mature, they exit their host when the host is in or near water, and they then complete their life cycle as free-living, non-feeding aquatic adults. I have seen several instances, and it is probably not unusual, where one has prematurely left a host that has died (e.g., squished on a sidewalk). If this is a nematomorph, perhaps its host died; maybe you got it with a garden implement. They are fascinating creatures and definitely harmless to humans.
There are some pictures very similar to yours at: http://www.matthewbolek.com/Nematomorphs%20for%20web%20page/Nematomorphaindex.html
KK
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Posted 16 November 2008
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Arrow-headed Tapeworm photo
Hi Bugman!
Thanks for your website which helped me identify this arrow-headed tapeworm which I found in my backyard in Chattanooga, TN. You can’t tell the scale in the photo, but the worm was 12-14′ long. I would have included something in the photo to show the scale, but the sucker was moving! Just had time to get this one shot before he moved off the concrete patio into the grass.
Thanks again!
John
Hi John,
Your Planaria is commonly called an Arrowheaded Flatworm, not a Tapeworm. That was sure a large individual.
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Posted 03 August 2008
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Hamerhead flatworm Malaysia-identification please
Dear Bugman
While on holiday in Malaysia we visited the Batu Cave temples and I saw the attached "bug" on a damp wall. It was very brightly coloured Black and Yellow and about 5-6" in length. From searches on the web the closest I have got to identification is from your web site – Striped Flatworm from Singapore is probably Bipalium rauchi. It is different with the headpatternation. I reallywould be most grateful if someone could identify it more precisely as my 6yr old son keeps asking me what it is. Much appreciated
Sue
Hi Sue,
The identification of the Bipalium rauchi from Singapore, reclassified as Diversibipalium rauchi (von Graff, 1899) thanks to our diligent readership, is probably the same as or a closely related species to the specimen in your photo. There is always much individual variation in species. Perfectly accurate species identification is often not possible with a photograph, and usually requires the actual specimen and an expert in the genus or family.
Update: (08/01/2008) About Another colorful Asian Flatworm
Hi Daniel,
I reckon it is indeed a Bipalium sp., but I would think it is not the same species as the one from Singapore. Someone else found one almost exactly the same, also in Malaysia, see: http://dinets.travel.ru/malay.htm But they just call it a terrestrial flatworm. Here is one (in the first part of the video) that has similar head markings: http://ca.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=24022492 As for putting an exact species name on it, I don’t know, there are over 800 species of land planarians world wide… Some of the tropical ones are both big and pretty it seems!
Susan H.
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Posted 31 July 2008
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Land Planaria
Hi,
I came across this planarian during one of my hike up Bukit Timah Hill, Singapore. Any idea what is its name? Sincerely,
Vincent Tan
Hi Vincent,
A cursory search online did not produce any matches for your gaudily striped Flatworm from Singapore. Perhaps one of our readers will have better luck than we have had with the identification. One would think that such distinctive markings would have been noticed and noted.
Update: (07/29/2008) ID for Unknown Striped Flatworm from Singapore
Hi Daniel,
What a gorgeous terrestrial planarian! There is a very nice shot of this same species at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/budak/1148748518/ If the ID there is correct, then this is probably Bipalium rauchi von Graff, 1899. Best,
Susan H.
Hi Susan,
It is so wonderful to be able to post a photo in the morning, then go to work in order to be able to pay the mortgage, endure an earthquake, and then return home to find an identification in the mailbox. Thanks heaps.
Update: (07/29/2008) Unknown Striped Flatworm a P.S.
The generic name now seems to have been changed to Diversibipalium , thus the species would be Diversibipalium rauchi (von Graff, 1899).
Susan
Another Reader’s Update: (07/29/2008) Unknown Planarian on your site
You have a picture of an unknown flatworm from Singapore on your page from 7/27/08. I just wanted to throw in my two cents. I saw a similar looking creature on flickr and someone replied leaving a comment saying it was in the genus Bipalium. So, I googled the genus and came across this website: http://www-biol.paisley.ac.uk/biomedia/text/txt_pictures.htm It lists different picture names in alphabetical order. Under Bipalium is a picture that nearly exactly matches the flatworm on your site. The link to the flickr picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/budak/1148748518/ The third comment lists a possible species level ID as well as a few sources. Don’t know if this is what you’re looking for, but I hope it helps. Thanks,
Michelle
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Posted 27 July 2008
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arrow headed flatworm
Hi Bugman
I came across an arrowheaded flatworm yesterday (14/05/2008) and was interested to see only one other reference that I could track down in Australia- which happens to be from last month from your site. I used your site to identify this worm. I came across this one as I was walking through urban bushland at 6.45 am. I must have brushed a plant as it was stuck to my trouser leg. Half its length is missing because it got squished before I realised it was there. However, in true flatworm form it continues to soldier on and the wound site has healed over after 24 hrs. I have not seen evidence of them in the Gold Coast area before. I think it might have beenout after a thunderstorm the previous evening.
Mandy Timmers
Hi Mandy,
Now we have two images of Arrowhead Flatworms from Australia on our site.
arrowheaded flat worm
Dear Bugman
Attached is a photo of an arrowheaded flat worm that we found in our garden tonight. It was about 10 inches long. We found your web site to identify the worm and found the information very interesting. We have lived in this suburb of Sydney (Australia) for 36 years and have never seen this before. Have you ever had any other feed-back about this worm from anywhere else in Australia? Thank you,
Valerie.
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for sending us your documentation of the Arrowheaded Flatworm, Bipalium kewensis. Since the species was discovered in a greenhouse in the Kew Gardens near London in 1878, it is unknown where the actual country of origin is. Probably because of the spread of greenhouse plants, and their use in warm damp gardens, the Arrowheaded Flatworm is now found in many parts of the world. We believe this is our first report from Australia.
Worm I found in my back yard
Dear Bugman,
I find these every once and again in my yard. This particular one was in some clover that’s by by house shaded from the morning sun and it usually stays cool and moist there all day. I’ve previously found them under things like plastic soil bags and things of the like. They’re usually about 2 inches, but when you poke around at them too much they scrunch down to about half an inch and they have shovel-shaped heads. I live in South Louisiana, about 50 miles south west of New Orleans. Can you please identify it for me? Thanks,
Lindsay
Hi Lindsay,
Your letter is the second we received this week from Southwest Louisiana of an Arrowheaded Flatworm, a benign and harmless Planarium. WE have gotten reports of specimens from other parts of the world as long as 10 inches in length.
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Posted 21 March 2008
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Dear Bugman,
please tell me what this worm is, I found it under a log in my back yard. I live is southwest Louisiana. It’s head is flat and it is very slimy.
Zoey
Hi Zoey,
This is an Arrow-Headed Flatworm, a type of Planarium. They are benign creatures that like dampness.
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Posted 18 March 2008
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