If you’re afraid of spiders or worms, or are easily grossed-out, you might not want to watch this video. But it is fascinating in a disturbing way to see what a huge worm emerges from the corpse of the spider. Apparently the worm in question is a horsehair or Gordian worm (phylum Nematomorpha). As adults these critters are free-living, but their larvae are parasites of certain arthropods (including spiders it seems). There are about 2000 species which range from 50 to 200 centimetres (79 inches) long (yikes!).
The really disturbing part of this video is the author’s indiscriminate use of insecticide! As fascinating as it is to watch the worm emerge, there was no reason to kill the spider in the first place. In my home small spiders are welcome to hang out and large ones are shooed out the door and back into the yard…
Cheers,
EC
I agree the pesticide use was more disgusting than the worm emerging.
Amazing that such a huge worm could fit within the spider. I’m terrified of spiders but always get someone to move them outside for me rather than spraying them.