This parasite explodes from its host when fully grown and social media is freaked out

Just in time for Halloween, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is reporting that water in the mysterious cave system is home to a parasite that explodes from its host’s body when fully grown.

That pretty much describes monsters in the “Aliens” horror movie franchise, only this creature does it on a smaller level, via insects.

However, size doesn’t seem to matter on the internet, and social media is horrified at the chance of running into the notorious horsehair worm. The species reproduces in the cave’s pools but isn’t limited to caves, experts say.

“After an egg hatches, an unsuspecting cave cricket might consume the larva while getting a drink of water,” Carlsbad Caverns National Park wrote on Facebook.

“The larva travels into the gut of the cricket and fastens itself there. ... Eventually a new horsehair worm is ready to emerge. It sends an enzyme to the cricket’s brain telling it to seek water. When the cave cricket enters the water, the worm explodes out of the cricket’s body and the cycle continues.”

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is made up of more than 100 caves “formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone.” Within the caves are life forms that have evolved in complete darkness, including bats and the horsehair worms, the park says.

The park’s post on the worms has gotten hundreds of reactions and comments in the past day, with commenters calling it “horrendous” and “disgusting,” but also kind of “awesome.” Some had questions. Others joked the post provided too much information.

“Define explodes,” Philip Blondé asked.

“The stuff that horror movies are made of,” Kim Shaffer wrote.

“Note to self: do not drink water at Carlsbad Caverns ... just in case these parasites want a human host,” Patricia Dunson wrote.

Horsehair worms are only about 1/8 of an inch wide but can grow to about 2 feet, and they have an almost supernatural reputation, according to Oklahoma State University experts.

“In water troughs and puddles, they resemble horsehairs actively moving in the water,” the university reports.

“Some people still believe that these worms develop from the long, thin hairs of a horse’s mane or tail that fall into the water as a horse drinks.”