Once consumed, the cyst dissolves and the larva is free to burrow into the stomach of the insect and begin maturation. The catch is that the larva is covered by a cyst, thus protecting them from dying upon consumption. And it is in this body of water that the egg hatches, releasing a microscopic larva that will then eventually be consumed by an insect. In fact, the eggs of the horsehair worms are laid in bodies of water. When they are not inside a host though, they prefer aquatic environments. To start with, horsehair worms (Nematomorpha) are parasites of invertebrates: mostly insects, though they have been known to take crustaceans as hosts as well.

Horsehair worms may be found inside homes in toilets causing people to be concerned that it is a human parasite.Photo of Horsehair Worm from Previous Article.

They are especially noticeable after a rainfall.

Horsehair worms are often seen in puddles and other pools of fresh water, swimming pools, water tanks and on plants.

When the horsehair worm is mature and near water or damp soil, it emerges from its host.

When they infect their host, horsehair worms store up fats and food reserves.

It is not clear how immature horsehair worms infect hosts.

They can attack a wide variety of insects and related animals: grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, beetles, and katydids, as well as dragonflies, caddisflies, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, crustaceans, leeches, snails, slugs and other invertebrates.

Once they hatch, immature horsehair worms try to infect a host.

Eggs are laid in a long, gelatinous string in fresh water.

It is common to see a number of worms to be intertwined, forming a loose ball during mating.

Males coil around females in pools of fresh water or damp soil.

Horsehair worms mate during spring, early summer or fall.

Download horsehair nematode