Arrowheaded Flatworm from Australia
(04/19/2008) 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.

Arrowheaded Flatworm
(03/21/2008) 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.

Arrow-Headed Flatworm
(03/18/2008)
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.

Mermithid Worm parasitizes spider
(12/15/2007) spider with HUGE "parasite" (worm)
Hi.  I sent an email several weeks ago (4-8 weeks) re: a spider with parasite.  At the time, I was having problems with my internet service....so, I want to resend the email just in case you never received the original.  Thanks for your advice/information about "my parasite problem". July 2007-I saw what I thought was a fire ant in my basement living area (we do have problems with fire ants) because its abdomen was so large. I tried to catch the ant, but it was too fast.  It jumped out of my bug catcher as quickly as I got it in.  To say the least, he died.  It scared me to death when he jumped out.....I thought he was going to sting me.  I reacted......but anyways.......As I was doing research (to see if this large red ant was a fire ant), I noticed its intestines MOVED!  After a couple of minutes, I realized that this was not the ant's intestines.......it was a "worm" (parasite)!!!  Sorry-no pictures that day! 2 weeks later, I was sitting in the floor in my living area of my basement.  Low and behold, I seen a "worm" stuck to the bottom of my entertainment center with a dead ant next to it (I included pictures).  I could see where the parasite had "busted" out of the ant's abdomen.  The "worm" was dead (dried up-guess it didn't find a host in time).Attached is 2 pictures The last straw.......about 2 months ago, a huge Wolf spider ran towards my living area in my basement.  I sprayed it with bug spray, and almost immediately, I saw a big "worm" bust out of the spider's abdomen and begin to wriggle around looking for a host.  I took many pictures and even a video (will try to send if I can figure out how to make smaller). 4 pictures are attached  My concern is this......are we being attacked by parasites?  I have 2 small children (ages 2 & 5) that both suck their thumbs.  Do we have a parasite problem that needs to be dealt with?  Is this common to see these parasites?  Are they any harm to humans? Thanks so much for your help!!!!
Monica Lain
Nashville, Tennessee



Hi Monica,
We found a website entitled The Worm, the Spider and the Coffee Cup that discusses the Mermithid Worm as an internal parasite of spiders. Here is a quote from the site: "Mermithid worms are internal parasites whose infective larvae enter spiders directly or via ingested food. Once inside the spider, the tiny worm obtains nourishment from it's hosts body fluids, digestive glands, gonads ('parasitic castration') and muscles. As a consequence the spider becomes progressively more debilitated, but doesn't actually die. This is because the spider's vital organs usually remain intact, even though all of the abdomen, and occasionally part of the cephalothorax, may be filled with worm coils. Eventually in a scene reminiscent of the movie "Alien", the gorged worm bursts out of the body of the debilitated spider, which finally dies after this macabre event. Before it dies, however the spider often has to perform one more task for it's deadly parasite. In some mermithids, the final free-living stage of the worm is aquatic, so that it is advantageous for the worm if its emergence can take place near a water body - a pond, a creek or puddle. To increase this likelihood, such worms seem able to induce their hapless hosts to seek water, spiders sometimes actually walking into the water before the worm emerges. This behavior may result from thirst-induced activity as the worm consumes the spider's body fluids. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that the spider's water seeking behavior helps to ensure the parasite's survival and propagation." We also located a technical paper online. Nothing indicates the parasites are interested in your children.

Arrow-Headed Flatworm
(10/08/2007) flatworm
Just when I thought I might have found something new… This critter was crawling in my carport this morning. I took the photo, then went to your website, just in case there was something there. Of course, the first two pictures under “worms” are of the same thing. Your site is awesome.
Rick
Doraville , GA



Hi Rick,
It is great you included that marker as an indication of the scale of the Arrow-Headed Flatworm.

Arrow-headed Flatworm
(09/05/2007) Tape worm or slug?
Our dog either eliminated it or found it crawling in our carport in Hilo, HI a very long (about 1 foot), very skinny (like a guitar string) slimy worm like animal.  The head is flat and fan shaped.  The body does not seem to be segmented and can elongate and shrink.  Our dog was treated for tapeworm about a month ago, when we found a white segment on her tail; her vet confirmed it was a tapeworm by doing a fecal check.  Since then we haven't found any more segments and we thought the tapeworm problem was finished.  We've been using Frontline monthly to control fleas, but she is an outdoor dog who runs free.  Please check out these 6 pictures. Thank you.
Rick and Karen



Hi Rick and Karen,
No problem here. Your dog did not eliminate the Arrow-headed Flatworm, a Land Planaria. It is probably Bipalium kewensis, a species with a wide distribution in warm climates with moist conditions. It was originally discovered in the Kew Gardens greenhouses in London, hence the scientific name. It is a benign species.

Arrowhead Flatworm
(03/13/2007) bug
Dear bugguy,
I love your website. Like everyone else, I need to know what the name of a bug is. It has a flat head. (I'm sure it was supposed to be like that.) It has a very long slug-like body that is about 4 inches long. I see it every once in a while underneath my dog's water dish. I would love to keep it in my insect collection, but I don't want to kill it. I have never seen one like it before. My other pet slug that I had a few years ago turned into a liquid! Could you please tell me what this bug is? Thank you so much,
Frances



Hi Frances,
When we originally began What's That Bug? years ago as a column in a small publication called American Homebody, we claimed it was a good idea because everybody wants to know "What's That Bug?" and it seems we were right. This is an Arrowhead Flatworm, a species of Planaria.

Horsehair Worm
(12/09/2006) At least 24" long Horsehair Worm???
Hi,
Found this worm in the driveway. Looking at your site, we thought maybe this is a horsehair worm but didn't see any nearly this long. In the photo, the ruler is 12" and the worm is more than twice that length. Otherwise, matches descriptions from others: smooth, no sections, very thin, slightly stiff - not floppy like an earthworm.
Michelle & Pete
Redding, CA



Hi Michelle and Pete,
Thanks for sending us your amazing photo of an enormous Horsehair Worm, and internal parasite of the Potato Bug.

Horsehair Worm parasitizes Potato Bug
(06/02/2006) Potato Bug with something that busted out of it.
We found this Potato Bug on the floor in our studios, still moving. At first I thought the long black thing was intestines. When I scooped it up with a paper towel the long black then fell to the ground and moved rapidly. It appears to be a worm of some sort. How it came from this bug and what type of parasite or worm it is is not known. At first I thought someone must have accidentally stepped on the bug, but on closer examination, it appears the worm busted out of the bug. Have you seen anything like this?
Robbie Rush



Hi Robbie,
We have heard several stories about Potato Bugs being parasitized by Horsehair Worms. Dr. Bug substantiates that Horsehair Worms in the genus Gordius are Potato Bug parasites. Here is a quote from his site: "They are sometimes found dead in swimming pools and ponded waters. This is either the result of a simple drowning or a parasite infection. The horsehair worm (Gordius spp. or Paragordius spp.) can inhabit the jerusalem cricket's gut and feed. The worm can alter the behavior of the cricket and force it to seek water. Once in water, the worm bursts through the insect's abdomen and seeks a mate. The cricket dies from the wound. I have found them in ponds at O'Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon (1980's) and at Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary (2002)."

Clam Worm
(05/01/2006) classification help: what is this?
Hi there,
Does anyone know what the hell this is? It was spotted burrowing up from the beach in South Queensferry, just outside Edinburgh in Scotland. Coordinates 55º59'26.73"N 3º23'01.08" W Upon closer inspection it had hundreds of small legs which expended from its body, a bit like a snails eye. It was as thick as a whiteboard marker, maybe an inch across, and maybe 12-14 inches long. The body was segmented but the segments looked to be fused together, more like a worm than a centipede. It has frills along each side and moves with a pulsating wriggling movement, which carried down the length of the body. I think the small end is the rear. Does anyone know what this thing might be?
Many Thanks
Chris



Hi Chris,
This is a Clam Worm, one of the Annelid Worms. It appears the old link we provided last year is no longer working, so we will provide the following information from the BVIO site: "The Common clam worm, Nereis succinea is a widely distributed polychaete worm. It is often referred to as a ragworm or sandworm, or simply as the clam worm, but these terms can all refer to any one of a number of other species of the genus Nereis (or indeed to other polychaetes). The name common clam worm is less ambiguous, but is also sometimes used for other Neries species such as N. virens. The common clam worm can reach up to 15cm in length, but most specimens are smaller than this. It is brown coloured at the rear, and reddish-brown on the rest of its body. It has an identifiable head with four eyes, two sensory feelers or palps, and eight tentacles. It is a freeswimming polychaete, scavenging on the bottom of shallow marine waters. It feeds on other worms, algae, and dead fish. To feed it uses a proboscis, which has two hooks at the end, to grasp prey and draw it into its mouth. Clamworms are an important food source for bottom-feeding fish and crustaceans, though they can protect themselves by secreting a mucus substance that hardens to form a sheath around them. During lunar phases in the spring and early summer, the clam worm undergoes heteronenesis. Their parapodia enlarge so they can swim. The clamworms are then capable of releasing eggs and sperm. After they have released their egg or sperm they die. Planktonic larvae develop, grow into annelids and eventually sink to the bottom of the water."

Thank you very much - I've had a look at the clam worm (not a pretty beast) and it's definitely our boy, though this guy was at least 25-30cm in length - In future I will use pocket change for scale. I suppose the size could have something to do with its close proximity to sewage outlets, I doubt it ever had trouble finding a hot meal. Thanks again for your response, it is very much appreciated.
Chris

Arrowhead Flatworm
(04/25/2006)
I saw this critter in Hawaiian Paradise Park on the east side of the Big Island (Hawai'i) south of Hilo. I first saw a larger one that was gray-bodied and it had the same fan-shaped head. At first I thought it was a kind of earthworm or other kind of worm. But when I photographed this 2.5 in. one with the yellowish body and dark dorsal line, I noticed what appeared to be a slime trail. The larger gray one was about 6-7 in. long with a uniform thin body (not segmented like an earthworm), perhaps a bit thinner in aspect ratio that his one. It seemed to move faster than the typical slugs in Hawaii (Veronicella cubensis?) but perhaps it was the more animated movement of the fan-shaped head that created that illusion. The points of the head articulated like a slug's "antennae". I didn't want to turn it over to examine the ventral side. Might this be a juvenile form? Any idea what it is?
Les Chibana
Volcano, HI



Hi Les,
Thanks for sending this unusually colored Arrowhead Flatworm, a Planarium.

Update (04/26/2006): Arrowhead Flatworm in Maui
Aloha, I am impressed with the photo you just put up on your home page from the Big Island. We found this Arrowhead Flatworm in our outdoor shower a month ago, just after several days of rain. It was 4" long and yellowish with black stripes down the entire length of it's body. We had never seen one before so I contacted our local Dept. of Ag to inquire if it is considered an invasive species. Apparently the answer depends on your point of view. If you want earthworms for your garden, then the flatworm is invasive. If you have an abundance of the Giant African Snail, then you may appreciate the flatworm as it is a predator of said snail. I read on the internet that the flatworm expands to over twice it's size after eating, but I have yet to find an earthworm to feed to it. It would not touch my composting worms. Keep up the excellent and entertaining work on your website! It is much appreciated. Aloha,
Michelle
Kihei, HI

(04/22/2006) Parasite Worm?
I.m thinking some kind of parasitic worm. This was found in my "rain barrel" - a 55 gal plastic drum stocked with water plants fish, snails, tadpols, frogs & who knows what else. The head looks as if it may have "suckers" on the underside - wasn't able to get a picture of the underside though. This is about 10-15 mm long when streched out. Thanks
Bnuts

My apologies - I found the Arrow-Headed Flatworm on your worms page. The worm I have must have been young - As I stated 10-15 mm. Feel free to post the picture though - I think it shows good head detail. I loveyour site. It's been a great help with "identifying bugs"



Hi Bnuts,
Glad you identified your Arrowheaded Flatworm, a species of Planarium, before we had a chance to answer.

Horsehair Worm
(04/02/2006) spaghetti worm?
Dear Bugman,
My name is Molly, my dad and I found this worm on the driveway after a light rain. At first I thought it was just a string, but I saw it move a little and thought I was seeing things. Then my dad and I saw it move a lot and we knew it was a worm. Can you tell us what kind of a worm it is? I live in northeast Nebraska.
Sincerely
Molly Atkeson



Hi Molly,
We got two letters the same day (the other from Minnesota) with photos of Horsehair Worms or Gordian Worms in the Phylum Nematomorpha (from the Greek nema , "thread," and morphe , "shape"). We found a website with interesting facts and lore, including: "Several stories are associated with Nematomorpha. A common name of nematomorphs is gordian worm, which originated from its similarity in appearance to a knot, specifically one created by Gordius, king of Phrygia around 330 B.C. As the mythical story goes, Gordius used this knot to bind a chariot to a pole. He declared that whoever could undo the knot would be ruler of all Asia. The name horsehair worm might also originate from what ancient observers perceived as the spontaneous transformation of hairs from horses that, having fallen into watering troughs, developed into living worms." We would love to see your name, Spaghetti Worm, gain popularity.

Horsehair Worm or Gordian Worm
(04/02/2006) Unknown critter
I am not sure what I found. After a recent rain, I found the wormlike creature on my sidewalk. It was very flexible and even tied itself into a knot and was able to untangle itself. My first thought was a centipede or millipede, but I could discern no feet or antennas on it. Nor did I see any segmentation. The diameter of it was so small, that I could not tell through my fingers what it felt like, although it seems to have a hard skin (exoskeleton). It wasn't soft like a worm. In the picture, I believe the head is in the lower right corner, away from the penny. It wasn't easy trying to get it in focus. I let the guy (gal?) go. Most likely I will never see another one again. (If it helps to identify it, I live in La Crescent, MN)
Thanks.
Greg Watson



Hi Greg,
Your is one of two letters that arrived the same day with images of a Horsehair Worm or Gordian Worm. The other letter is from Nebraska. We found a great site with more information.

Arrow-Headed Flatworm
(10/14/2005) Something slimy for your slug page?
Hi, I found a few of these slug-like creatures while working in the yard, and the front edge ruffles as they (smell?) their way around. Thanks for an entertaining and informative website!
Jai Hari



Hello Jai,
We wouldn't dream of posting your Arrow-Headed Flatworm on our slug page while we have a worm page to accomodate it. These is actually a Planarian, one of the Flatworms.

Clam Worm
(08/19/2005) Nereis..clam worm pictures
Hi,
in southeast US in the summer, during a lot of rain.  They have a fan-shaped head without visible eyes.  They can raise their head up,
We took these pictures of the clam worm, Nereis, this summer and thought you might like them for reference pictures for your readers.
Debby



Hi Debby,
Thanks so much for sharing your images. As this is a new species for our site, we are providing a link for more information.

Clam Worm
(08/18/2005) Bug??
Hey Bugman!
Not sure if this is a bug or not.  Found it on a sandbar on the beach in Nova Scotia along the Northumberland Strait.  It had about a gazillian legs and was about 10-12 inches long and very much alive.  I've never seen anything like it before.  Any ideas?
Evlynn McAloney
Amherst, Nova Scotia



Hi Evlynn,
We got two letters with Clam Worms, a type of Annelid Worm, in two days.

Arrow-Headed Flatworm
(08/14/2005) Hammerhead worm
Hi Bugman,
Any ideas what this is.  Found it in my yard in June 2003.  Sorry, some of the pictures are fuzzy.
Regards,
Denis



Hi Denis,
Your Arrow-Headed Flatworm is actually a species of Planarium introduced, probably accidentally. It was first described in a greenhouse in Kew Gardens in London in 1878.

Horsehair Worm or Gordian Worm Worm
(07/27/2005) Its Raining Horse Hair
I found this creature in a puddle in a park in Kentucky.  I was checking out a frog and this thing started moving.  I happen to have a baggy so I scooped it up and brought it home.  I remember an old saying that said "It would rain horse hair in the dog days of summer."  Anyway, Any idea what it is?



Sorry about the tremendous delay here. We have thought about your letter from time to time, though we didn't have time to do any research. As we are cleaning out our mailbox since we are canceling our old web host, we wanted to post your letter despite not having an answer. We are going to make it a priority to get to the bottom of this interesting example of local lore and the falling Horse Hair.

Update (04/02/2006) We finally found a site that identifies the Horsehair Worm or Gordian Worm.

Planarium
(07/19/2005) arrowheaded flatworm
i found a better picture of this creature thought u might like it . thank you for identifing.
Tammy



Hi Tammy,
Sorry to have lost your original letter, but we will post your photo.

Arrow-Headed Flatworm
(04/10/2005) Dear Mr. Bugman,
I cannot say how much I love your site.  I have three pics for you, I hope that's ok?  The first is a decent picture of a marbled orb weaver (I recognized it from your site), I just thought you might enjoy the picture. The other two are of a weird, weird worm that visited the concrete porch at my old house in Atlanta when it rained.  I'm sorry about the picture quality.  Can you tell that it was kind of flat, slimy, not a snake and has a weird sort of hammer-head?  We've moved so I'm no longer freaked out about them, but what were they?  I even took a little one to the local university's entomology department and they didn't know.  We got tons of slugs and snails when it rained too, and that backyard had flooding problems.
Jennifer



Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for the compliment. We are very excited to get your worm photos. We have received several letters regarding the Arrow-Headed Flatworm, Bipalium kewensis, but we have never gotten a photo. According to Hogue: "This land planarian is slender and brown, with five dark longitudinal stripes; it can be large, up to 10 inches in length. The species is 'hammerheaded': the head is shovel-shaped (wider than body) and there are numerous minute eyes along its border. The species was discovered in 1878 in the greenhouses of Kew Gardens near Londodn, hence its scientific name. It has a wide distribution in warm climates. It needs a moist habitat and is usually encountered near outdoor water faucets, where the soil often remains wet. It original home is unknown but is possibly the Indo-Malayan region. Flatworms are hermaphroditic, and copulation involves mutual insemination; they may also reporduce asexually by fragmentation. The eggs are encapsulated and affixed to objects in damp places. These are benign creatures--they do not damage plants or cause any medical problems." Your Marbled Orb Weaver photo is awesome.

Hi Jade,
You left out some crucial details, like the size of the worm, but I think I have a good idea what you saw. There is a species of planaria or flatworm known as the Arrow-headed Flatworm, Bipalium kewensis. According to Hogue, "The species is "hammer-headed"; the head is shovel-shaped (wider than the body), and there are numerous minute eyes along its border."

Thanks so much, I am going to go find a picture!

(8/9/2003)
Hi, I found a worm like bug under a rock. Light brown and it stretched out to about sixteen inches. It seems sticky and real skinny. I wanted to know if it was poisonous and wanted to ask you. can you help me find out what it is? :
Sincerely,
H.R age 12 thanks

Dear H.R.
We got a letter several weeks ago from a man who described much the same thing as you describe.
He enclosed a headsketch. We identified his "worm" as a Arrow Headed Flatworm, Bipalium kewensis. It is a land planariun and is slender and brown. They have five longitudinal stripes on the body and a head shaped like a hammer. It needs a warm, moist environment and is often found near water spickets. Flatworms are hermaphroditic, and copulation involves mutual insemination; they may also reproduce asexually by fragmentation. They are benign creatures since they do no damage to plants nor do they cause medical problems. Here is our other reader's sketch, though we lost his wonderful original letter. Hope that is a positive ID for you.

Septemeber 13, 2002
I have little worms in my home.  They generally appear on the floor; however I have found a few in the bathtub, and one in my bed!  It seems that there are more everyday throughout my home, and I cannot find the source of where they are coming from.  They look like your average worm that you would find outside after it rains, however they are only about an inch long. They are brownish black, with a black end on one side.  One of the larger ones even appeared to maybe have legs like a caterpillar.   I know they are not millipedes, centipedes, wax worms, or weevils.  I have never seen anything like them before.  They started to appear about one month ago, but it seems that there are more each day!  They do move around, and seems to travel fairly quickly!   They do not have any hair, and they are textured, and look, like a normal worm.  Help!

Dear Sheri,
All insects that go through complete metamorphosis have a larval form that could be considered worm-like.  Some are more worm-like than others.  The real question here is which of these larvae are most likely to be found in the home.  My guess is the Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) the largest of the pantry beetles.  The larvae are worm-like, pigmented, and very smooth.  They are sometimes sold as fishing bait and as food for pets under the name Li-Cut worms.  They and the adults are fond of flour products found in the pantry, but that does not explain how they wandered into the bed.  Another suspect could be the larva of the Click Beetle  (family Elateradae) which are known as wireworms.  The adults are often attracted to lights which will get them into the house, and the larvae live primarily in the soil where they feed on herbaceous plant roots, tubers and stems.  Other types of beetles have larvae that bore into wood, like the Nautical Borer (Xylotrechus nauticus) which often appears mysteriously indoors after hitching a ride in firewood.  The larva is about 3/4 inch long when mature and pale dirty brown with an enlargement just behind the head.  It bores into the heartwood of dead oak and other hardwoods.

WORMS!
September 9, 2002
     We have a mystery source of a thin worm or bug larvae which seem to appear from nowhere onto a localized part of the kitchen counter near a non-opening window. I couldn't find the source so in a mad cleaning frenzy I even got into the recessed light fixtures. I found lady bug and other carcasses (ugh!) but no clear indication of the mystery creature. Perhaps if you can identify these guys I could figure out where they are coming from and then destroy the source. The worm/larva is about a half inch in length, very thin, with smooth cream/tan color skin. It has rings around the body which are either a slightly darker color or textured depressions (I was too grossed out to look with a magnifying glass). They appear to be more larvae like rather than "caterpillarish" i.e. no hair or pretty colors. They never appear to be moving when I see them. Fortunately there have been less than a dozen sightings. Any ideas what the heck these things are? Thanks for the help! I enjoyed reading all the letters and answers.
Melody Williamson
Northern Illinois

Before WHAT'S THAT BUG? even had a chance to answer, Melody writes back:

     Well, just wanted to let you know that the bugs in question were wax worms. My son (the fisherman) knew them immediately. I called the exterminator and it turns out that the Wax Moth lays eggs in bee and wasp nest! I have a nest in peak in the roof line that is infested with wax worms. Ick!
Thanks for being there!
Melody Williamson

Not to be outdone, WHAT'S THAT BUG? replies:

Dear Melody,
     I am happy to hear that you had your bugs identified before we here at What's That Bug could provide you with misinformation.  My first inclination was that you had maggots, which considering the time of year and the heat were my only real suspect.  Wax worms (Galleria mellonella) never even entered my mind.  When we got your follow-up letter, I checked out an internet search and learned that of all the worms considered for use on the hit television show Fear Factor, wax worms were considered the most maggot-like and 30,000 of them were used in one challenge.  Check out this website for more gross information about the wax worm:  http://www.nbc.com/Fear_Factor/stunts
/stunt_207_waxworms.shtml
Before you get that exterminator, you might want to consider reselling the larvae which are often used as fish food.  This website: http://www.armstrongcric
kets.com/wax.htm sells 1000 wax worms for $22.