# What is this worm-like creature?



## bugmankeith (Mar 18, 2011)

I have never seen these before. They look like earthworms, but they crawl along a slime web thing under a log and do not burrow in the soil. They hate the light.


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## ZephAmp (Mar 19, 2011)

Looks like some sort of earthworm to me. Many species will also live in rotting wood or under stones near water.


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## Dreadz (Mar 19, 2011)

Its defiantly not a earthworm. Looks to me like a larva of some sort of moth or something. I saw a show on the discovery channel about a creature like the one in the photo that lives in caves and uses bioluminescence to attract its prey. It uses the sticky slime trails to capture moths and other small insects in caves. Other than that cant tell you exactly what it is:?.


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## ZephAmp (Mar 19, 2011)

Dreadz said:


> Its defiantly not a earthworm. Looks to me like a larva of some sort of moth or something. I saw a show on the discovery channel about a creature like the one in the photo that lives in caves and uses bioluminescence to attract its prey. It uses the sticky slime trails to capture moths and other small insects in caves. Other than that cant tell you exactly what it is:?.


The sheen and segmentation is what made me think worm... I think another picture or a description of their locomotive features would help. 

Perhaps some sort of maggot?


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## Deroplatys (Mar 19, 2011)

Fungus gnat or midge larvae i think, its deffiniatly a fly larvae of some kind.


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## Pssh (Mar 19, 2011)

I dont think they are a type of fly larvae. I'm also inclided to believe that it is some kind of (earth) worm. Worms do indeed crawl up out of the earth, especially if the new location is more suitable for survival.

A description of movment style or a video may make it easier to at least identify what type of animal it is.


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## H. laoticus (Mar 19, 2011)

Dreadz said:


> Its defiantly not a earthworm. Looks to me like a larva of some sort of moth or something. I saw a show on the discovery channel about a creature like the one in the photo that lives in caves and uses bioluminescence to attract its prey. It uses the sticky slime trails to capture moths and other small insects in caves. Other than that cant tell you exactly what it is:?.


You read my mind lol


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## xhexdx (Mar 19, 2011)

It's a worm, not a caterpillar (what we call moth and butterfly larvae).


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## Mat (Mar 19, 2011)

Worms

Too many segments and no head capsule rules out it being a fly or moth larva.


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## Rue (Mar 19, 2011)

I agree...not an insect larvae...


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## Upjohn252 (Mar 19, 2011)

It is an Annelid aka earthworm

---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------




Upjohn252 said:


> It is an Annelid aka earthworm


Earthworms use copious amounts of slime to facilitate movement through the soil.  If they were not burrowing some other factor is in play, eg. if the soil  substrate is very wet they will have surface so as to breathe...in any case the segmented ringed body indicates definately an annellid


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## Deroplatys (Mar 19, 2011)

Hasnt anyone seen those glowing midge larvae that hang from cave ceilings?


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## joshuai (Mar 19, 2011)

Deroplatys said:


> Hasnt anyone seen those glowing midge larvae that hang from cave ceilings?


its on planet earth caves one! there neat!


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## LeilaNami (Mar 19, 2011)

Upjohn252 said:


> It is an Annelid aka earthworm
> 
> ---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------
> 
> ...


Agreed.  Also, the presence of the clitellum (though not always heavily pronounced) denotes some species of earthworm.


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## spydrhunter1 (Mar 19, 2011)

They're Brachyceran fly larvae...the primitive flies have a head capsule.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 19, 2011)

spydrhunter1 said:


> They're Brachyceran fly larvae...the primitive flies have a head capsule.


Haha I believe you're right.  I thought a saw a clitellum but maybe not.  I do, however, _think_ I see larval mandibles when I zoom in on the picture.


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## Mat (Mar 20, 2011)

Nope - still far too many segments for a fly larva, Brachycera or not.


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## spydrhunter1 (Mar 20, 2011)

The question...are those true segments? fly larvae often have crenulations of the individual segments.  Brachypterous larvae have 11-12 true segments.


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## bugmankeith (Mar 20, 2011)

When you zoom in one end is almost round and whitish at the tip, not an earthworm, they have pointy ends on both sides. Plus these only glide on that slime trail/web, earthworms will move off the log to get away, these did not move. 

I am thinking they are larvae to something, but what I am nor sure, as first time I have seen them, and I cant observe them at night for bioluminesence.


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## Bigboy (Mar 22, 2011)

spydrhunter1 said:


> The question...are those true segments? fly larvae often have crenulations of the individual segments.  Brachypterous larvae have 11-12 true segments.


I believe we have a winner.


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## bugmankeith (Mar 22, 2011)

So their Brachypterous larvae?


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## Rue (Mar 22, 2011)

I don't think so...but if you could get a really good picture of their heads, it would help.


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## Dreadz (Mar 22, 2011)

I believe that I just found out what this creature is.... Looks like its a fungus gnat larva. It looks to be an species of Arachnocampa that catch their prey in the sticky substance the crawl around on.


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## Upjohn252 (Mar 22, 2011)

Upjohn252 said:


> It is an Annelid aka earthworm
> 
> ---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------
> 
> ...



WHOOPS! Didnt notice the tiny heads on whatever thoose things are.  I had to save the pic then zoom in to see it soo......I got duped..NOT an Annelid


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## bugmankeith (Mar 23, 2011)

Dreadz said:


> I believe that I just found out what this creature is.... Looks like its a fungus gnat larva. It looks to be an species of Arachnocampa that catch their prey in the sticky substance the crawl around on.


That matches it, thank you!


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## Rue (Mar 23, 2011)

No doubt I'm being extra-dense today...but isn't _Arachnocampa _ only found in New Zealand/Australia (and in caves)...and isn't the OP in New York?


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## bugmankeith (Mar 23, 2011)

Rue said:


> No doubt I'm being extra-dense today...but isn't _Arachnocampa _ only found in New Zealand/Australia (and in caves)...and isn't the OP in New York?


Mine doesn't look exactly the New Zealand species, and instead of hanging the web is under a log. I see normal fungus gnats in plant pots or roach tank, but those larvae are white and almost caterpillar like. These are similar to the bioluminescent ones, but different color. Again, first time I ever saw these, mabye they are invasive or a new species, I have no idea and it seems here people are stumped on an exact species.


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Mar 24, 2011)

Has anybody asked how long they were?

Is there a chance of getting more photos?

Looks like a worm to me, though the slime and dew and web sure make things interesting!


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## Rue (Mar 24, 2011)

bugmankeith said:


> Mine doesn't look exactly the New Zealand species, and instead of hanging the web is under a log. I see normal fungus gnats in plant pots or roach tank, but those larvae are white and almost caterpillar like. These are similar to the bioluminescent ones, but different color. Again, first time I ever saw these, mabye they are invasive or a new species, I have no idea and it seems here people are stumped on an exact species.


Gotcha!

If you could get another photo...a clear one of the head...we could likely narrow it down a bit...

Immature diptera (if that's what it is) are very hard to ID...even by those that do it fairly often...


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## bugmankeith (Mar 24, 2011)

Rue said:


> Gotcha!
> 
> If you could get another photo...a clear one of the head...we could likely narrow it down a bit...
> 
> Immature diptera (if that's what it is) are very hard to ID...even by those that do it fairly often...


I will try when it's warmer out, we just got a few inches of snow today, too cold to look for more right now.


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## Kruggar (Mar 27, 2011)

Has anyone heard the old tune glow worm by the mills brothers? It's one of my favourites, going to play it at my wedding lol.


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## bugmankeith (Mar 29, 2011)

I tried to get better pictures. It's head is round and yellowish, and appears to have jaws in it.


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## bugmankeith (Apr 13, 2011)

Still looking for an answer!


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## Rue (Apr 13, 2011)

I still think it's a worm of some sort.  I'm looking through some material right now...if I find what I think it might be...I'll let you know.

...okay...I don't think it's a species of _Geonemertes_...but I'm putting it out there (before I forget what I've looked up).

There are a couple of species of 'round' flatworms...but I can't find any decent photos on-line...


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## spydrhunter1 (Apr 13, 2011)

http://www.diptera.info/viewpage.php?page_id=29


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## Deroplatys (Apr 13, 2011)

Are you keeping them?
Would prove us right when they hatch into flies.


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## Dreadz (Apr 13, 2011)

spydrhunter1 said:


> http://www.diptera.info/viewpage.php?page_id=29


Looks a lot like the Cerotelion in this link.


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## ilovebugs (Apr 16, 2011)

At first I was thinking earthworm also, but then I noticed that it doesn't have a Clitellum segment.
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~rlenet/Earthworms.html


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## bugmankeith (Apr 30, 2011)

Mystery solved! Found this on Google, exact look-alike. It's a Fungus Gnat larvae. It might even be the type that glows at night.
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/12/31/unidentified-sluglike-mystery-organism/


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