What The Heck Are These Things?

[Azazel]

My cat was sitting at the open window looking outside when I noticed that he had a couple of little black/brown things stuck on his whiskers. I took a closer look and there were a bunch of little worm or larva looking things on the window screen and all over the window sill. I cleaned him off, checked him over and also brushed him with a flea comb. I don’t think he got too many on him, but I’m worried now about what these things are and whether I should be more concerned. They were crawling all over the place like tiny worms. I’m guessing they are fly larva or something?

It was hard to take photos, they are so tiny.

 

[tabbytom]

Looks like Inch Worm to me.

inchworm

 

[Azazel]

Thanks for your reply. I googled inch worms and the guys on my window seem a lot smaller and thinner. They also only move with their heads. Do inch worms hatch at the end of summer?

I keep checking my cat to make sure there aren’t any on him. He seems pretty clean and unbothered but I’m hoping that, whatever they are, they aren’t a threat to him at all.

Edit: I took another look and they actually move with their head first and then follow with the tail. They have little bulb-like heads.

 

[ArchyCat]

Sounds like inch worms from your description of the moving method!

 

[Azazel]

Hmmm, 2 votes for inch worms then? But they don’t look like any of the pictures I’m finding when I google. They don't have feet or anything. They just look like tiny pieces of string with a bulb head.

 

[tabbytom]

Thanks for your reply. I googled inch worms and the guys on my window seem a lot smaller and thinner. They also only move with their heads. Do inch worms hatch at the end of summer?

I keep checking my cat to make sure there aren’t any on him. He seems pretty clean and unbothered but I’m hoping that, whatever they are, they aren’t a threat to him at all.

Edit: I took another look and they actually move with their head first and then follow with the tail. They have little bulb-like heads.

I goggled and there are 35,000 species of inchworm world wide and 1,400 in North America, (1,200 according to Encyclopedia.com)

An inchworm moves by drawing its hind end forward while holding on with the front legs, then advancing its front section while holding on with the prolegs. Inchwormshave smooth, hairless bodies, usually about 1 in. (2.5 cm) long. - Encyclopedia.com



After the larva hatches, he feeds on leaves for about a month before he drops to the ground via a silken thread. In late spring or early summer, the larva burrows up to 4 inches into the ground, spins his cocoon and pupates. If he's a fall worm, he'll emerge in the fall, usually between November and early December - lifespan-inchworm-9145.html

 

[Azazel]

Thanks! I'm wondering if it's possibly moth larvae? I did some research and apparently they often lay their eggs on window screens. I would prefer butterflies though.

 

[tabbytom]

I'm wondering if it's possibly moth larvae?

Same, larvae or inchworm

 

[Azazel]

They do kind of look like this little guy, except thinner:

 

[Azazel]

Same, larvae or inchworm

Yeah, thanks for helping me figure it out. So, I guess it's no threat to my cats.

 

[tabbytom]

Guess they are the same except maybe it belongs to a different species of moth which have different size larvae OR it's a malnourished stray/feral inchworm

 

[basscat]

Those are quarter inch worms! (baby inch worms)