This Gruesome Zombie Worm Can Be Found in Iowa

[WARNING: The following story might give you the heeby jeebies.]

I was scrolling through Facebook one day when I came across the strangest creature I've ever seen. In this video, you can see someone holding a grasshopper with tweezers. It seems like someone is squeezing the guts out of the creature.

Well, it turns out that those aren't guts, it's a parasite.

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This creature is called a horsehair worm.

Horsehair worms otherwise known as horsesnakes or nematomorpha are long, unsegmented parasitic worms found in both soil and water, according to experts. They look creepily similar to hair from actual horses that move in the water.

EWWWWWWW!

These creatures do their parasite thing inside of crickets and other large insects. Officials say that they can occasionally be found in pet dishes, water tanks, and pools.

Where Can They Be Found?

After a rainy day out in Iowa, you might notice these creatures a bit more. The horsehair worm can be found in puddles and other pools of fresh water. 

Are They Poisonous?

Good news! They might be incredibly creepy, but they are relatively harmless. According to officials from Iowa State University, these creatures don't infest people, pets, plants or livestock.

The horsehair worm is actually beneficial because they kill crickets.

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