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Help me identifying a worm

Omri

Omri

Hello everyone. :)
When I was a small child I found underneath my grandparents' house small sockets or holes. when I took a closer look I noticed an ant walking into one, when suddenly I saw something coming out of the sand, grabbing it and pulling it down. because of my childish imagination, I chose to believe those were magical creatures and named them "Gamadim" (ENGLISH: Gnomes). while growing I enjoyed feeding them and watching that amazing process of ambushing small insects and even tried catching those Gamadim so I could grow them. not much success in that, but I did find out that what I thought was an arm reaching out, was actually part of a small worm. lately I've had a small chat with friends and family about those Gamadim and apparently nobody knows they exist nor would they believe me. today I went back to that house and tried to catch it on video. well I succeeded and I'm asking for your help identifying it. it would be of great help to finally know what those things are. here is the video. thank you. :)

 
Omri said:
Hello everyone. :)
When I was a small child I found underneath my grandparents' house small sockets or holes. when I took a closer look I noticed an ant walking into one, when suddenly I saw something coming out of the sand, grabbing it and pulling it down. because of my childish imagination, I chose to believe those were magical creatures and named them "Gamadim" (ENGLISH: Gnomes). while growing I enjoyed feeding them and watching that amazing process of ambushing small insects and even tried catching those Gamadim so I could grow them. not much success in that, but I did find out that what I thought was an arm reaching out, was actually part of a small worm. lately I've had a small chat with friends and family about those Gamadim and apparently nobody knows they exist nor would they believe me. today I went back to that house and tried to catch it on video. well I succeeded and I'm asking for your help identifying it. it would be of great help to finally know what those things are. here is the video. thank you. :)

Click to expand...

I think they are common in PNG- not sure they are worms though. I think it was a kind of burrowing bug as I remember- big nippers on em too. In Africa they have a harpoon that goes into your skin , hurts like hell and itches for days.I think they have a funny name like a ---- tiger, -----lion or something odd.

larval ant lion

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Entomology-Study-Bugs-665/sand-insect.htm
 
Bootsieb said:
I think they are common in PNG- not sure they are worms though. I think it was a kind of burrowing bug as I remember- big nippers on em too. In Africa they have a harpoon that goes into your skin , hurts like hell and itches for days.I think they have a funny name like a ---- tiger, -----lion or something odd.
Click to expand...
These are definitely worms. about 2-3cm long. pale gray to white color.

You know what, it's not a antlion, but maybe a relative? seems logical.
 
I'm pretty sure those are antlion larvae. Dig one up and do a google picture search on antlion larve. I have tons of those little pits in my yard. Mine are definitely antlions. They exhibit the same behavior as yours.
 
I agree with Bootsieb, sounds like a larval antlion after I read this page:

http://kaweahoaks.com/html/antlion.htm


And also after watching this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u35labsw_OA&feature=related
 
Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies. :)
I also received the same answer elsewhere, but from what I see online, antlion larvae are beetle-like and the ones I saw were definitely worm-like. maybe a relative?

Here is another video. on 0:16-0:18 you can see for a moment the actual insect after I pulled it out.


Because I was in a very uncomfortable position, I didn't get a proper shot of it. here is what I could get out of the video:
wormy.jpg


and because it's really blurry...
worm2.jpg
 
Antlions belong to the Family Myrmeleontidae and include over 600 described species. Two of the most common genera in the southwestern United States are Myrmeleon and Brachynemurus.


http://kaweahoaks.com/html/antlion.htm
 
Thank you everyone. I guess it is obvious they are a type of similar insects. would be nice to have the exact species, but at least there's no mystery now. :)
 
Seen one of those on tv before. They are called "Alaskan bull worms". Here is a wiki link
http://spongebob.wikia.com/wiki/Alaskan_Bull_Worm
 
Omri,

Catch one and take a few photos and post them here: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&sqi=2&ved=0CFkQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbugguide.net%2F&ei=xjXRTvn3E-TCsQLR1rjDDg&usg=AFQjCNGwCK5IHXo_YRskIOKCfb5Mdb3GBQ&sig2=0hLEuhpz_XpJQ8nB_1m58w Best place on the web to get a bug ID.

You may have to kill it to get good pics. Drop it in alcohol for a few minutes, that should keep it intact.
 
They sure are quick.

Some spiders also make little cones like that.
They wait for things to climb or fall in then eat them up.
 
if you want to catch one, use a small twig or something and disturb the sides of the depression...they will come out and attack...or if you have some ants, use them and see what happens...they can't climb out of the hole because the sides are so loosely packed...or you can gently blow in the bottom of the depression and you will unearth the little booger...
 
I had a soon to be forensic entomologist in the house last weekend and she agreed that it was probably some time of any lion larvae. Better pics may help Omri.
 
I was thinking Star Wars too Red TF! Except I was thinking of the scene where they were out in the desert on Jaba's ship.... LOL

I've never seen anything like those little worms in my life! how strange...
 
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