Horsehair Worm

Often found in puddles, swimming pools, livestock troughs, and near moist soil after emerging from hosts.

Larvae are internal parasites of insects (like crickets, beetles, and cockroaches); adults do not eat as they lack functional digestive tracts.

The larvae develop inside an insect host. When mature, they influence the host to seek water. Once the host enters water, the adult worm emerges to mate and lay eggs.

They are harmless to humans, pets, and plants. They are beneficial for the ecosystem as they help control populations of insects like crickets and grasshoppers.