Subject: Re: strange bug identification needed!
From: Gary Matson <matson@snowcrest.net>
Organization: SnowCrest Net
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 98 09:21:26
Message-ID: <MOD$980618.10528@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$980615.22556@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
I'm going to hazard a guess that might lead somewhere, but first, a comment: it
is impossible to know from what geographic area a post is from without
additional information. The regional differences across this country and world
are truly amazing. Some mention of where a situation is, when asking a
question, could greatly increase the likelihood of a useful reply.
That said, it sounds like something we in Northern California call a horsehair
worm. It is in the nematode phylum, I think. In our case, the creature lives as
an internal parasite in grasshoppers at least some of its life cycle. They
often show up in puddles after late spring rains, and wave and contort slowly.
No head is clearly visible. Does this fit the creature you have found at all?
Gary Matson--interior northern california
CJ wrote:
> Hi folks,
> I've got a question for those of you experienced in bug (or whatever)
> identification.
> What is this weird thing in my garden, and is it beneficial or dangerous?
> Description: very, very skinny, as thin as a hair: like maybe a millimeter
> diameter, and quite long, about 3 to 5 inches. It squiggles around and
> both ends of it wave around in the air like it's looking for something to
> grab onto. For the color, the first one I saw was mostly dark - maybe a
> very dark green, and the ends were light colored, very light yellowish
> greenish. Three that I saw were all light colored, and the other one I saw
> had a sort of stripe or line all along it.
> Another one that I want to ask about is also long and skinny, but nowhere
> near as thin as the first bug. This one seems wet, like a worm, and is
> about 3 inches long, diameter about half a centimeter, dark brown with a
> black line, and a sort of hammer head when it stretches out. It curls
> around when it's picked up.
> So, What are these things? Are they good or bad? I'm worried that they
> are some sort of parasitic things that are in the garden because of the
> cats using it as a litter box. Does anyone have any advice?
> (I definitely don't want to cause family or friends
> any parasite problems, that is if the slugs let any of my plants produce
> veggies.)
> Thanks for any input,
> Cheryl.
> --
> Tasha's Cheryl http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5972
> Cheryl's Tasha http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5972/tasha.html
>
> "Real development is not leaving things behind, as on a road, but drawing
> life from them, as from a root"
> G. K. Chesterton (1874-1935)
>
> "....be glad you had the moment."
> S. Shagan (b. 1927)