Pine Worm

“Oh no, this is definitely a true worm. It never becomes a magnificent moth, a pretty butterfly, or even a stalwart beetle. It remains a worm its entire life.”

— Eldri Ento, gnome expert on insects.

The Pine Worm is a rare species of unknown origin that is often ignored or reviled by most people. Its name comes from its voracious appetite for pine needles and its coniferous forest habitat. Although it usually keeps to itself, it occasionally parasitizes small ground dwelling vegetarian animals.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Pine Worm has a squishy elongated body with up to 20 body segments from head to tail. Each body segment has numerous hair-like cilia that it uses as a means of pulling its body along the branches of a tree. The head end has a mouth-like opening containing a hard internal beak that is used for cutting and grinding up pine needles. At the other end of the body is the tail with an opening used for waste removal and egg deposition.

Biological Traits

Their short lifespans usually only last until the cold of the winter comes, but a rare few have been observed taking refuge inside of host species, such as the Woodshock, and then reemerging from the host in the spring. These rarities may then live on and keep growing for several years if they are able to take on additional hosts each winter.

Genetics and Reproduction

This is a hermaphroditic species that may or may not mate with another of its kind.  Eggs are laid in mid fall, just before the freezing weather comes and several dozen eggs may be placed wherever the worm happens to be at the time, be that in the branches of trees, on the soil, or even on top of another creature.  These eggs usually hatch several months later, after an extended period of warmth in the spring.

Growth Rate & Stages

Upon hatching in the spring, the larvae burst forth and begin looking for fresh pine needles to feed on.  Their constant eating quickly allows them to grow to adulthood within two weeks of emerging from their eggs.

Ecology and Habitats

Although these worms can potentially be found in all climates and areas that have coniferous trees, they are almost exclusively found in the alpine forests of the northern land masses.

Dietary Needs and Habits

These worms are know to feed almost exclusively on the needles of various species of coniferous trees. They are often found eating any variety of pine, spruce, hemlock, or tamarack leaves. They begin consuming fresh needles in the spring almost immediately after they hatch from their eggs and do not stop until the cold temperatures of the winter kill them off.

Biological Cycle

After hatching in the spring, these worms spend the majority of their time eating and only move to a new tree if they run out of viable food.  They spend the spring, summer, and fall eating before finally mating in the fall.  The eggs are laid in mid fall and then the worms usually die quickly after as the cold weather sets in.  Below freezing temperatures will kill the worms but their eggs contain several layers that protect the larvae from harsh temperatures, chemical, and conditions.

Additional Information

Social Structure

There is no social interaction among the individuals of this species.  They live alone and only come together through random chance even during the breeding season.

Domestication

This species is not bred, raised, or domesticated by the general populace.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

While many goblinoids consider these worms a delicacy, it is rumored that some in the dark elf military have begun to experiment with the worms by having their troops ingest the eggs and grow the worms inside of them. They do this as a means of damping down their overactive immune system and thereby controlling some of the allergies that they suffer from on the surface world.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Although rare, these worms may be found in the Kese Dihan Forest, the outskirts of the Snowscape Barrens, and the forests that grow throughout Gobnar Hobb, as well as a few other locations.

Average Intelligence

That of a typical segmented worm.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

This species has little in the way of sensory perception other than very limited light sensitivity, that tells them basic colors and brightness, as well as basic vibrational touch receptors, that allows them to determine which direction a vibration is coming from.  However their main sense is that of smell, as their chemoreceptors allow them to search out fresh needles to feed upon.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Occasionally these worms have been found in the digestive tracts of small ground mammals that feed upon leaves and grasses. It is thought that an animal such as the Woodshock strays into the forest and feeds upon the pine needles that are on or near the forest floor. Here some of the Pine Worm eggs are eaten and lodge in the stomach or intestines of the animal. In the warm environment the eggs quickly hatch and the worms feed upon the digesting plant material that is found within the host creature.
The worms stay inside of the creature and feed and grow and lay more eggs throughout the winter while the Woodshock is hibernating. As the weakened host awakens in the spring, the Pine Worms may try to burrow their way out of the creature, inadvertently killing it. These newly emerged worms are larger and stronger than the others of their species and will either immediately begin to feed upon new pine needles, feed on newly hatched worms, or actively seek out other host creatures that have an abundance of plant material in its digestive system.
Animals and people suffering from an infestation of Pine Worms often develop a debilitating disease known as Albuasis. This condition is characterized by a bleaching of the skin and hair, weight loss, weakness, lethargy, irritability, and a reduced immune system that if left unchecked may lead to eventual starvation and death.

“Oh yeah, them is hard to find. But if you find, they is tasty an squishy. Like small sack of warm, rotten, pine needles.”

— Grock, goblin scout.

Scientific Name

Helminth Coniferus Albus

Lifespan

Their short lifespans usually only last until the cold of the winter comes, but a rare few have found a disturbing way to live on for several additional years.

Conservation Status

This often overlooked and reviled species is not under any kind of governmental protection or conservation laws.

Average Height

The average width and therefore height of these worms is approximately 1/4 of an inch.

Average Length

Large worms can grow to about one inch long.

Average Physique

This is a small segmented worm with many hair-like legs instead of the typical legs of caterpillars or the lack of legs that is common among many types of worms.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The Pine Worms appear as a bright white or translucent white worm with brown rings separating the various body segments.  The body segments have brown or white cilia appendages and may occasionally have small speckles of gold along the body.

“It weren’t a pretty sight at all. The poor thing looked like a bloody pincushion. Dozens of tiny holes all over him. Emaciated with patchy white fur, we dared not touch the animal. We buried him as quick as we could and washed up extra good.”