Horsehair worms not harmful

Rick Hirsch

Horsehair worms are parasites of certain insects, especially crickets and grasshoppers. They are commonly found in puddles of water, on damp sidewalks and patios, or as they emerge from bodies of their insect hosts. Despite their sometime frightening appearance, these creatures are not harmful and have no economic importance.

The long, thin structure of these worms is so similar to that of a hair that it was formerly thought that they were transformed from horse’s tail hair. Horsehairs frequently drop into watering troughs where they can accumulate. Coincidentally, insects (including those parasitized by horsehair worms) also frequently fall into the water of horse troughs and die. Horsehair worms which emerge from parasitized insects were seen swimming in water troughs and supposed to have spontaneously transformed from the long horse hairs; hence the term “horsehair worm”.

Horsehair worms are insect parasites that belong to the phylum Nematomorpha. One of the most common species in the United States is Gordius robustus.

The body of the horsehair worm is extremely long and thread-like. Lengths of a foot or more are not common. The body diameter is about the width of a pencil’s lead. They are creamy to blackish in color, and frequently are twisted and coiled like a discarded thread.

Not much is known about the life of horsehair worms. Adults, the stage most commonly seen, live in water or very moist soil. Immature stages are parasitic, living in the bodies of insects and crustaceans. Adults live in all types of fresh water habitats and can be found in both temperate and tropical regions. They commonly swim or crawl about by a whip-like motion. Immature stages are parasites on insects living in or near water, or in moist soil. Beetles, cockroaches, crickets or grasshoppers are the most common hosts. One species lives in salt water and parasitizes crabs. Emergence from the host occurs only when the hose is near the water. Occasionally, they are found after a cricket of cockroach is crushed, or when the host hops into a container of water, when the worm begins to wiggle out of the insect’s body.

Since horsehair worms are parasitic, they are assumed to be beneficial in the control of certain insects. Its true value as a parasite, however, is questionable because the worm does not kill its host until it matures. Horsehair worms are not parasites of humans or pets. Therefore, these creatures are primarily of interest as one of nature’s oddities. If their presence in a swimming pool is bothersome, they can be safely removed by hand or with a net.

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The Henderson County Beef Cattle Committee started 2010 off with its annual installation and awards banquet this past Thursday night. Adam Davis of Athens was installed as the 2010 Chairman of the eighteen member committee. He will oversee the activities of the county-wide committee as they work towards developing educational programs designed to bring about solutions to problems common to the beef cattle industry.

Other officers installed to help direct the committee were Vice-Chairman Doug Atkinson and Secretary Charla Till both of Athens and Treasurer Matt Tyler of Malakoff. Six beef producers were installed to assist the committee in various programs. Dana Caraway of Athens, Robert Horton and Drew Linscott of Mabank, Heather Voyles of Chandler, Kevin Proctor of Ben Wheeler and Terry Rhodes of LaRue make up the list of new members. Both the officers and new members were officially installed by Henderson County Leadership Advisory Board Chairman Bob Miars of Athens. Bob was also presented the Committee of the Year Award.

Newly installed Chairman Adam Davis stated that the committee has several programs slated for this year including a Cow-Calf Clinic, Cowboy Gathering, Cow-Calf Roundtable, and a Winter Grazing and Nutrition Seminar.



IMPORTANT DATES:

Feb. 4 — East Texas Turfgrass Conference — Texas AgriLife Research & Extension Center — Overton —8 a.m. - $25/Person — 5 C. E. U.’s

Feb. 16 — East Texas Commercial Fruit & Vegetable Conference — Rose Garden Center — Tyler — 8 a.m. —$25/Person — 3 C. E. U.’s



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Rick Hirsch is the Henderson County Extension Agent - Agriculture for Texas

AgriLife Extension Service. Visit our web page at http://henderson-co.tamu.edu.

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