This Spaghetti-Looking Bug Is A Startling Parasite Living In NY

Just when I thought I knew everything about everything on Planet Earth, I learned something new.

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Okay, I am nowhere near knowing everything...more like knowing not much about everything in life and on the 3rd rock from the Sun.

A co-worker recently asked me if I knew what a Horsehair Worm (or just Hairworm) is. Well, that was a new one for me. I had no idea, and now that I do, I'm not sure I'm better off knowing what a Horsehair worm is, and how it lives.

So, since I am now aware, I'm letting you know as well, that is unless you already know. In that case, skip to the video below, and you may learn something about the Horsehair Worm that you didn't know previously.

What Is A Hairworm?

Horsehair Worms, according to the Wildlife Trusts website, are parasitic worms. They thrive in freshwater and marine environments. These worms look like a strand of spaghetti. These types of worms can alter the behavior of grasshoppers and crickets to seek water, causing the host to drown itself to complete its lifecycle.

The University of Kentucky Department of Entomology notes that Horsehair Worms enter the bodies of grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, and some beetles. After maturity, they will leave the host and lay eggs once they have found water.

Is A Hairworm A Public Health Threat?

Fear not, the Horsehair Worm is not a parasite of humans, livestock, or pets. They are of no threat to public health says the U.K. Department of Entomology. Want to learn more? Check out the Deep Look YouTube video below describing a hairworm from PBS WQUE.

It gives you a look at the Horsehair Worm, and its lifecycle as well. Is it gross, or a cool learning experience about something you may have never heard of?