Horse hair worms

[JoeCapricorn]

I had a male chinese mantis last week who stayed in a large Kritter Keeper cage. He died suddenly one day and a female chinese mantis that I had grew weak. I let the female go (Her name was Topaz) when I buried the male.

In the cage, somewhat attached to the mantis feces were these white hairs. I believe they might be horse-hair worms because they closely resemble them, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_hair_worm

How do I ensure that all worms were killed off? The cage has been rinsed out and I put paper towels on the bottom, but I'm not sure if the container is safe enough for my newest chinese mantis named Amber. (I name all mantids I found after gemstones, there was Amber, Topaz, Emerald and Jade) Right now she is chilling on the side of my computer monitor.

I can keep her there while I go take a shower, but I am wondering if keeping her in a small Kritter Keeper while I am away tonight would be okay (I have three new ones, as they are for the three baby African mantises on the way. I want everything controlled for them since I anticipate their frailty - new cages, new substrate, new decorations). Amber was rescued from my nephew's house, he tends to smash bugs, and I saw that she was virtually perfect - no missing toes or antennae segments - and extremely sweet.

I'll introduce myself soon, just don't have time. I need my questions answered about horsehair worms - how to kill them and how to prevent them from occurring and perhaps any tips on how to eliminate them from a Mantis.

 

[massaman]

hmm dont those come out of their victims after the host victim drowns themselves in water?

horse hair worms

 

[Rick]

I'll introduce myself soon, just don't have time. I need my questions answered about horsehair worms - how to kill them and how to prevent them from occurring and perhaps any tips on how to eliminate them from a Mantis.

Ha ha yet you had time to make this long post.

I don't think that sounds like horsehair worms. I admit I have not experienced that particular parasite. Not sure you will get much info here on the worms. I haven't heard of anyone that has had them.

 

[ismart]

Dip the mantids abdomin in some water and see if anything comes out.

 

[JoeCapricorn]

Amber is doing well. I'm monitoring her closely for any sign of lethargy or weakness and making sure she gets plenty of water.

I tend to post long posts. After this I'll go ahead and introduce myself and my profound love of all things with cute antennae!

 

[PhilinYuma]

hmm dont those come out of their victims after the host victim drowns themselves in water?horse hair worms

No. Wrong parasite!

 

[PhilinYuma]

I had a male chinese mantis last week who stayed in a large Kritter Keeper cage. He died suddenly one day and a female chinese mantis that I had grew weak. I let the female go (Her name was Topaz) when I buried the male.In the cage, somewhat attached to the mantis feces were these white hairs. I believe they might be horse-hair worms because they closely resemble them, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_hair_worm

How do I ensure that all worms were killed off? The cage has been rinsed out and I put paper towels on the bottom, but I'm not sure if the container is safe enough for my newest chinese mantis named Amber

I can keep her there while I go take a shower, but I am wondering if keeping her in a small Kritter Keeper while I am away tonight would be okay (I have three new ones, as they are for the three baby African mantises on the way. I want everything controlled for them since I anticipate their frailty - new cages, new substrate, new decorations). Amber was rescued from my nephew's house, he tends to smash bugs, and I saw that she was virtually perfect - no missing toes or antennae segments - and extremely sweet.

Hair worm infections are extremely common in mantids in tropical and subtropical environments, so there is no reason that they shouldn't infest mantids here. Google "Horsehair Worms (Nematomorpha) as Parasites of Praying Mantids with a Discussion of their Life Cycle." Note that the second author is Reinhard Ehrmann, so it has to be true.

Wipe down the contaminated cricket keeper with bleach. Be generous. Dry it and wait until any smell of chlorine is gone before using. To be honest, though, if you can't see any, there aren't any. Since the mantis is the terminal host that becomes infected by eating an infested prey, there's no chance that a worm could reinfect the mantis. Away from water, the worm will simply die, but you worry a lot, don't you, so it will do no harm to take some extra precautions.

A small kritter keeper sounds fine, at least for a while.

Weight for weight, mantids are much tougher, stronger, faster and meaner than you are. No need to worry about her.

It was once believed that horse hairs floating in the water under bridges could turn into hair worms by spontaneous generation. This is not true, but it is a little known fact that hair worms can turn into horsehairs. When they feel the warmth of a rider's leg, they can eat their way into his leg and travel through blood vessels to the face, where they eat out the victim's eyeballs. This is why horseback riders often go blind after riding over a bridge.