Horsehair Worm

Found in damp areas like puddles, troughs, streams, and cisterns; they also reside inside the bodies of insect hosts during their larval stage.

As larvae, they are parasites that absorb nutrients from the bodies of insects (crickets, cockroaches, beetles). Adults do not eat.

They exhibit a unique lifecycle where they manipulate the behavior of their insect host, forcing it to seek water so the adult worm can emerge to mate. They are often seen in tangled knots, giving them the nickname "Gordian knot."

They are completely harmless to humans, pets, and plants. Beneficially, they act as a natural biological control for some common garden and household pests.