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What are these worms?!?! HELP!
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Author:  mskitty42 [ Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  What are these worms?!?! HELP!
Working outside this morning I noticed these two wriggling masses of worms (which eventually became one wriggling mass in the corner). Are they good worms or bad worms? Any clue?

I added a couple of bags of topsoil here a couple of days ago -- I'm thinking they maybe hatched from that. Since they were massing into one corner and there seemed to be a larger, white grub-like worm up there beneath them, I spread them out into the loose topsoil. I'm sure they'll wriggle their way back to the corner, or into one pile someplace. Thought maybe I'd buy some time until somebody sees this.

Thanks!

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Author:  wormrancher [ Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these worms?!?! HELP!
They certainly are not any type of earthworm...some form of larval stage of some bug. Maybe we can investigate more here..my money is on a pest....one of the problems is by the time you investigate and figure out what you have they have moved into the next stage of development!
Author:  wormrancher [ Thu Jun 03, 2010 6:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these worms?!?! HELP!
If you could find them and keep them in a container until they move to their identifiable stage, that would be cool. It would help to know what else was grown nearby that might be their forage.
Author:  mskitty42 [ Thu Jun 03, 2010 6:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these worms?!?! HELP!
Thanks -- they've already 'disappeared'. After I moved them around into the soil, never saw them again. They never regrouped. Still, would be nice to know what they are and what to do if I see them again. And if I use more of that topsoil (bagged, Lowe's brand) that just may happen. I have 7 or 8 more bags, and it WILL be used.

If and when they reappear, I'll catch some, see what happens. There was nothing else growing nearby -- this is a portion of my yard against the foundation and some concrete block steps, and it's mostly dirt with some grass and weeds. I piled the topsoil up because I'm having trouble with gutter runoff heading back to the house, and I need to change the slope. I think it came from the topsoil, although I could be wrong.

If I didn't have the photos as proof, I'd think I'd imagined the whole thing. Many years ago when I was taking high levels of an anti-depressant I used to 'see' clear worms moving through the deep pile of a white shag carpet every evening after I took the pills. These were a lot like that, but no more anti-depressants in my life, and the camera doesn't lie!
Author:  patchouli [ Wed Jun 09, 2010 6:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these worms?!?! HELP!
I found the same thing on a few trees when the bagworms were so bad a few years ago. They would raise those black heads and wave around when disturbed---like a bad scary movie. Some orange oil wiped them out.
Author:  user_48634 [ Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these worms?!?! HELP!
In general the cure for caterpillars is to keep plenty of paper wasps under your eaves. If you are allergic then maybe you should do something else, but if you are not allergic, learn to live with the wasps. I've had them for 20 years and never been even close to getting stung. In the spring when they awaken they can become curious of the humans and animals but they are only curious, not aggressive. Let them explore and get to know your habits and they will leave you completely alone.
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