I went kiting today on a freshwater lake/swamp this morning.
when i came in there were red worms all over my lower legs.
I brushed and pulled them off.
I went home and showered and i noticed some more of these freaks in the shower with me and i swear i pulled one two out of my shin.
There was a bit of pain while i was out there, but i assumed that was from the spiny weeds that grew all over the lake bed for the last ten years which kept tickling my a$$.
It was pretty horrid.
Here's some pics, but don't look till after lunch. I expect tomorrow at dinner something will burst out of my rib cage!!
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So, does any one know what they are?
I'm treating them as harmless, but, do i need to have some drontal or something??
Freaky
The way one of them is attached it looks like how a leech sucks blood.
If you even suspect they have burrowed in at all, they may have laid eggs and that would not be so good. I'd go to a doctor straight away and take a couple of the red suckers in with you.
If it doesn't work out, can I have your gear?
EDIT: I got too curious and googled it. Many references to red worms in fresh water are from aquarium websites and people refer to red worms hanging out their pet fish's anus.
Let us know how that part goes but maybe no pics of it
Google "Blood worms"
Bloodworms are larvae of the mosquito-like midge family Chironomidae
Then go see the DR. tomorrow
They look the same....
Gizmo that is interesting.... what we call blood worms here are not larvae they are "real worms" that are darker red and bout 30cm long. Live in the sand and are good whiting bait.
So they may be worms, leeches or the larval stage of something else.
Any entemologists here?
Cool pics,,
I work in aquaculture and we get alot of simlar looking red worms in the sediment, usually the smelly, ****ty sediments.... Must be pretty crap water you were in???