Unknown... worm?       12/29/14 After a rain on 9/9/14, while collecting earthworms from puddles on our driveway found this. Wetland property with small pond & all types of wildlife. 3 months & still alive in jar. Any idea what kind, any referral for help in id? Thank you Amber Santangelo <A worm of some sort; likely a Nematomorphan or Nematode. Bob Fenner>

Strange worms in California about a foot long and really skinny! I found a bunch of worms that looked like squirming skinny strings.  they are less than a 16th of an inch in diameter and one was almost a foot long...they were slender and their diameter was constant from one end to the other...it didn't even seem like they had a head or anything. do you have any idea of what it is??  They were found in Poso Creek in California in the County of Kern...they were in the leaves along a sandy creek that just started to run....I can send a photo if you want me to... Thanks, Sam <Please do send a pic... Do these worms have any apparent bristles or other identifying structures? Is there a definite banded area near the "head" end? Sounds like some sort of Oligochaete to me (a setae-less annelid/segmented worm) which does not narrow this down much. Same group as the common "nightcrawler, earthworms, Tubifex... Bob Fenner>

Re: strange worms in California about a foot long and really skinny! thanks so much for the quick response! After I had sent you the question i found out what it was later...it's common name is the "horsehair worm".....some have been found up to two feet long I guess... they have an incredibly interesting life cycle......sort of scary actually! Thanks for the help and take care Sam <Neat! The phylum Nematomorpha... not often seen. Thanks for sending this update. Bob Fenner>