While some bugs are merely nuisances, others pose a real threat to the ecosystem. The hammerhead worm, an invasive bug in Texas, is the latter. With an appetite for earthworms, this footlong worm secretes a neurotoxic venom and is basically immortal (if you cut it into several pieces, a new worm will grow from each segment!). Here’s what you should do if you see one.
The hammerhead worm - formally known as Bipalium - is a type of worm indigenous to Southeast Asia, but in recent years, it has been sighted all over the Southern U.S.
wichatsurin / iStock / Getty Images Plus Collection / Getty Images While there are many different kinds of hammerhead worms, Bipalium is especially concerning because it’s predatory, meaning it poses a threat to local ecosystems.
Easily recognizable by the shape of its head, the aptly named hammerhead worm has made its way into the Lone Star State - specifically the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth areas.
Wikimedia Commons/Pville Steve The worms prefer to live in the soil, however rainfall forces them to leave their homes. Despite reaching lengths of over a foot, the worms are extremely slender, so they can be difficult to spot.
Perhaps the most unnerving thing about the hammerhead worm is that it’s essentially immortal.
Wikimedia Commons/PvilleSteve If you try to cut it in half - the most common way to kill a worm - the segments will grow into two separate worms.
The worm also secretes a neurotoxic venom to ward off predators.
Rowell Porrad / EyeEm Collection / Getty Images Similar to that of a pufferfish, the venom can irritate the skin, so you should never handle the worm with bare hands.
By far the best way to dispose of the worm is to dissolve it in a salt and vinegar solution.
Peter Dazeley / The Image Bank Collection / Getty Images Alternatively, you can place it into a plastic bag and throw it away.
So next time you’re outside gardening, keep an eye out for this invasive bug in Texas.
Wikimedia Commons/Mohammed Rafiq It has the potential to destroy the earthworm population - and thus, agriculture as we know it - so it’s very important to take action.
Have you seen this invasive bug in Texas? If so, in what city? How did you dispose of it? Tell us in the comments below! Don’t forget to check out our previous article for more bugs in Texas sure to send chills down your spine.
wichatsurin / iStock / Getty Images Plus Collection / Getty Images
While there are many different kinds of hammerhead worms, Bipalium is especially concerning because it’s predatory, meaning it poses a threat to local ecosystems.
Wikimedia Commons/Pville Steve
The worms prefer to live in the soil, however rainfall forces them to leave their homes. Despite reaching lengths of over a foot, the worms are extremely slender, so they can be difficult to spot.
Wikimedia Commons/PvilleSteve
If you try to cut it in half - the most common way to kill a worm - the segments will grow into two separate worms.
Rowell Porrad / EyeEm Collection / Getty Images
Similar to that of a pufferfish, the venom can irritate the skin, so you should never handle the worm with bare hands.
Peter Dazeley / The Image Bank Collection / Getty Images
Alternatively, you can place it into a plastic bag and throw it away.
Wikimedia Commons/Mohammed Rafiq
It has the potential to destroy the earthworm population - and thus, agriculture as we know it - so it’s very important to take action.
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