VOLUSA COUNTY, Fla. — Blood sucking worms sounds like something out of a horror movie, but they’re very real and thriving inside the wildlife in our own backyards.

Here’s what you need to know about these blood-sucking worms:

1. They’re parasites

The worms are actually parasites, called Pentastome Parasites.

“The parasites are wormlike creatures that live in the lungs of snakes and they suck blood. They are a lot like a leach, but instead of being on the outside of an animal they are on the inside,” said Dr. Terrence Farrell, Professor of Biology at Stetson University.

2. They're found inside animals

Dr. Farrell noticed the parasites when one of his pygmy rattlesnakes suddenly died. It’s the first time they had seen the parasites outside of pythons.

“It’s a nasty situation because the pygmy rattlesnakes haven’t evolved or developed defenses against the parasite.”

3. The worms aren’t native to Florida

The parasites are not native to Florida. Dr. Farrell belives they came over from Asia in Burmese Pythons to South Florida.

Farrell and his team of researchers have found the parasites in Central Florida, which is more than 100 miles away from where the Burmese pythons reside in the southern portion of the state.

“Our research shows that the parasites are moving north rapidly along the peninsula and appear to have some major health effects on pygmy rattlesnakes,” said Farrell.

4. They're spreading rapidly

The rapid spread of the parasites is a reason to worry.

“The research tells us that there’s a whole new concern about invasive species and the diseases and parasites that they bring with them,” said Farrell. “This parasite isn’t just a Florida problem. We have no idea how much of the U.S. this parasite will spread and move into, which may cause it to become a nationwide problem in a few years.”

5. No threat to humans

According to Dr. Farrell, the parasites pose no health threat to humans or domesticated pets.