Strange “Worm Towers” Found in the Wild for the First Time May Be Hitchhiking on Beetles

Researchers in Germany discovered a new nematode species, Caenorhabditis apta, forming rare worm towers on rotting fruit in Konstanz orchards.

The worms were concentrated on two invasive sap-feeding beetles, especially the strawberry sap beetle, suggesting the insects may carry them between habitats.

The finding points to a new natural dispersal route for nematodes and raises questions about how invasive species spread through ecosystems, including into Europe.