Pond Pest

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

How are you?  

I have some sort of worm-like creature that seems to be getting in the roots of some of my water plants.  I'm wondering if you might know what they are, and how to get rid of them!

They are only about the width of fishing line, but are anywhere from a half inch to 2 or 4 inches in length.  They vary in color from transparent to pinkish or reddish, but even those are somewhat transparent, as you can see the dropping inside them (much like in an earthworm).  They have tubes on the top layer of dirt in the buckets that are in my small pond, and at night (and sometimes during the day) they come out of the tubes and sway back and forth until something disturbs them.  They decimated some of my plants this spring/winter.

I had a few aquatic plants including an Arrowhead species, and also Pontedaria cordata, and when I noticed the plants weren't coming back up, I investigated and found them infesting the rootstock.  There were probably close to a hundred of them in the roots.  

I'm not sure if they are a type of worm, nematode, or something else, but I would like to find out how to get rid of them, as they are destroying all my plants!

I planted a Caltha palustris plant several days ago in one of the pots, and I took it out today to find they were already starting to get into it!

I do have several good pictures that show their size, if you have some way for me to send them to you.

Thanks much for any help!
God bless,
Jeff

ANSWER: Jeff,
Do you have a website or something I could look at.  I don't want to post my e-mail address on line.  It would really help if I could see the pix.  
thx,
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tom,

Thanks for the reply!

I don't have it currently posted to a website, but I do have one, so I will upload it and get back to you.

Thanks much,
God bless,
Jeff
ANSWER: Hi Jeff,
Thanx for the follow-up.  Let me know as soon as you can.  Take a look at this URL and see if this is the pest after which you are inquiring.    http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies_images/caterpillars/page1.html

Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tom,

Sorry for the delay!  No, that is not what I have.  The pest that I have is apparently eating the roots, not eating the leaves directly.

You can access the pictures here:
http://geocities.com/jeffsgarden2006/DSCF0009.JPG
http://geocities.com/jeffsgarden2006/DSCF0010.JPG

Thanks again,
God bless,
Jeff
ANSWER: Hi Jeff,
Thanx for the additional followup. May I have a few more days to research this?  The pix indicate a type of worm about which I have no knowledge. I have been looking everywhere.  what is your geographic location?  That might help.
thx,
T

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tom,

Sure  :)  I am in Michigan.

I saw someone else on the forum who seemed to have the same problem as me last year at this link: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Pond-Water-Gardening-731/worms-pond.htm  Which is what drew my attention to this site.  But I'm not real satisfied with the answer.  Everyone I've written seems to say that any worms (insect larvae, whatever they are) I might have would be harmless - but I have a hard time believing that 3 different kinds of hardy pond plants died of other causes this winter, and then coincidentally had these things eating their roots!  Especially since the one plant was trying to come back this spring.

Thanks,
God bless,
Jeff

Answer
Jeff,
I cannot answer your question.  I am at my wits end with this issue.  Contact Michigan State Extension Service and I am sure they can help you.  Here is a URL.  If they can't let me know and I'll see what else I can do.

http://www.msue.msu.edu/portal/


Tom