Community identification
Horsehair Worm
Nematomorpha
- Order & Family
- Order: Gordioidea; Family: Gordiidae
- Size
- 5 to 10 centimeters long on average, though they can reach up to 1 meter in length.
Natural Habitat
Mainly freshwater environments such as streams, ponds, and puddles; some are found in damp soil.
Diet & Feeding
Adults do not eat; larvae are parasites that consume the tissues and fluids of hosts like crickets and beetles.
Behavior Patterns
They are parasitic during larval stages and free-living as adults. They are famous for 'mind-controlling' their hosts to jump into water so the adult worm can emerge.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans, pets, and plants; they provide an ecosystem benefit by controlling populations of insects like crickets and grasshoppers.