Horsehair or gordian worms are long, slender worms related to nematodes. When they are immature, they are parasites of insects, arthropods and other invertebrate animals. They are harmless to people in all stages of their lives.
Maggots will appear in the form of small white worms in the house wiggling about in the food or filth they are found on. Flies will be hovering around filthy areas like garbage and feces and will breed and lay their eggs.
Threadworms, also called pinworms, are tiny, very thin white worms about 5 millimetres long that live in the intestine and around the anus (bottom).
Bed worms, also known as mattress worms, are not a specific type of pest, but a group of pests and their larvae that can end up infesting your mattress or bedding. Unlike adult bed bugs and fleas, their larvae have not yet developed into an insect with a hard exoskeleton, giving them a worm-like appearance.
Horsehair worms belong to the phylum Nematomorpha, from the Greek word meaning thread-shaped, class Gordioida. They are also called Gordian worms, because they will often twist into a loose ball-shaped knot resembling the baffling one Gordius created in the Greek myth and that is referred to as the Gordian knot.
Horsehair worms, part of the taxonomic phylum Nematomorpha, are parasitic worms that resemble long thin strands of hair (hence their nickname).
Strongyloides and scabies mites are also called parasites. Some people can see scabies mites when they look carefully. When we look at them with the microscope, we see that scabies mites have arms and legs like ticks. Strongyloides look like threadworms.
Bed bugs are easily mistaken for carpet beetles. Telling them apart is done easiest by looking at their larvae. Bed bug larvae look like tiny worms, but carpet beetle larvae look like they could be little fuzzy caterpillars.
While the infected person is sleeping, mature pinworms make their way out of the rectum to lay their eggs around the anal opening. Small, thin, grayish-white worms may be visible around the anus two-three hours after the person falls asleep.
What we usually do to get rid of them is to collect them from the surface of the bin where they mostly congregate, place them in a small container and pour boiling water over them. Once they are dead and the water has cooled down we usually add them back to the worm bin as they then serve as worm food.
Horsehair or gordian worms are long, slender worms related to nematodes. When they are immature, they are parasites of insects, arthropods and other invertebrate animals. They are harmless to people in all stages of their lives. They are considered beneficial as they control other insects.
Threadworms look like tiny pieces of white cotton. Roundworms look more like earthworms. Hookworms can cause a red worm-shaped rash. Tapeworms are long, pale yellow and flat.
What are pinworms? Pinworms are white, parasitic worms that can live in the large intestine of humans. They are about one-half inch long. While the infected person sleeps, female pinworms leave the intestinal tract and lay their eggs on the skin around the anus.
A plaster bagworm is also known as the "household case bearer". They are the larvae of a species of moth called the Phereoeca allutella. The moths are similar in appearance and closely related to clothes moths.
If you've ever found small, white, or dark worms in your mattress, you may have an issue with mattress worms. These creatures are actually the larvae of several different insects, including carpet beetles and fleas. These bed worms can cause severe damage to your mattress and cause allergies to flare up.
Floaters are usually harmless specks suspended in the vitreous humour. Vitreous humour is a jelly-like substance that helps maintain the shape of the eyeball. If you have a sudden increase in floaters, this may indicate damage or disease, and should be investigated by an eye specialist.
If you come across small black worms in your bathroom, kitchen sink, or toilet, you may have a drain worm problem. These small black or brown worms are also referred to as “drain fly worms” or “drain fly larvae.” They can be a nuisance with potential health risks because they can spread bacteria.
Millipedes are usually 1 to 2 inches long with worm-like bodies that are divided into many segments, each containing two pairs of legs. While their name means “thousand legs”, this arthropod doesn't actually have that many (80-400 is typical.)
Use White Vinegar
Maggots can't live in vinegar because of how acidic it is. Create a solution by adding one part vinegar to three parts water, and then pour the mixture directly over the maggots. Let the mixture sit for about an hour before getting rid of the maggots and cleaning the area.
If you are finding small, hairy little worms in your home, don't rule out carpet beetles. These could be carpet beetle larvae. Larvae are the earlier life stages of beetles. Eventually, those hairy little worms will develop into adult beetles.
Dust mites (sometimes known as house mites) are tiny, microscopic creatures that can be found pretty much anywhere humans can. They are a type of arachnid, but luckily aren't as big as spiders – dust mites are invisible to the naked eye. Under a microscope, they appear translucent and have eight legs.
They may form small red blisters and if scratched will open and be prone to infection. Mite bites may also cause hives or welts and sometimes cause a hard bump on the skin and swelling. Sometimes, mite burrows are visibly evident under the skin; these look like small wavy lines under the surface of the skin.
Pinworms are also called “threadworms.” They're the most common type of intestinal worm infection in the U.S., and one of the most common in the world. They're thin and white, and about one-quarter to one-half inch long -- about as long as a staple. Tapeworms are flatworms that look a bit like ribbons.
Horsehair worms resemble hairs from horses actively moving in the water. A superstition once surrounding this species claimed that the worms in water troughs and puddles had miraculously come to life from the long, thin hairs of a horse's mane or tail that had fallen into the water.