Creepy Parasite Found in Damp Areas in Hudson Valley, New York

This might be one of the creepiest creatures on the planet and it turns out there are plenty of them right here in the Hudson Valley and they can be found near your pool.

This disgusting parasite doesn't make me think of just one horror film. It makes me think of two classics. This parasite looks like it is something straight from the Alien and The Thing.

What the heck is this thing?

The parasitic worm pictured above is called Nematomorpha. It's commonly referred to as a horsehair worm or a hair snake. The average size of these worms are about 4 inches but in extreme cases they can reach up to 2 meters long.

According to Wikipedia, they can be found near damp areas like rivers and even pools. Baby horsehair worms will be found on an insect host. Adult worms are free roaming like the one in the picture.

The one in the picture below was seen in Verbank, New York.

What happened before this photograph? These worms usually enter a host as small larvae. They eventually erupt out of the host just like in this video below.