Some of my favorite children’s books describe life cycles as heroic tales of persistence and redemption. Stories such as “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “A Seed is Sleeping,” have brought the miracles of growth and maturation to life for generations of readers. I can’t say, however, that I know of a single children’s book describing the impressive hero’s journey of Nematomorpha, commonly known as horsehair worms. These curious creatures earned their name because they are sometimes fou … (read more)
