Parasites in Latrodectus Hesperus?

Itsmom0527

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 25, 2022
Messages
10
I’ve had my Hesperus since august and they have been eating fine, nice and round and very energetic. Today I went to check on my bugs and I couldn’t see her. Once I found her she was almost completely in a death curl, her abdomen looked wrinkled and deflated. It was round and perfect just yesterday, and a weird worm was next to her. When I removed her and the worm I saw that the worm was coming out of a darkling beetle. Does anyone know what kind of worm this is? Is this the reason she passed? Any help is greatly appreciated! IMG_2793.jpeg
 

aaarg

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
248
something like a horsehair worm. the worm likely emerged from the spider's abdomen, in which it had been growing for a little while. i've seen it happen to wolf spiders, cockroaches, a cricket... :\
 

magouilles

Arachnoknight
Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2020
Messages
252
Yep that is a parasitic worm that closely resembles nematodes
Could have been passed down from a beetle encysted with an egg but i doubt it was coming from the beetle you just offered because the worms usually take months to become this big inside its host and they do not parasitize when adult, that looks to be mature and ready to go into their aquatic nematomorph self
Perhaps it had been growing in your spider for quite some time
Sorry for your loss☹
 
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darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,966
Yeah that is something related to a horsehair worm. I despise those disgusting things.
 
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