![]() ![]() Native to Southeast Asia, reports of these hammerhead-shaped invasive worms have become increasingly more common in the Lowcountry. So that means if a worm is chopped into pieces, each piece will then grow into a new worm. Their body breaks off a piece which then grows into a new worm. Hammerhead worms are hermaphrodites and can mate with any member of their species, but more often reproduce asexually by fragmentation. The noxious chemicals it releases can cause skin irritation in humans and trigger nausea in animals who consume the worms. The hammerhead worm secretes a potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, similar to the toxins found in pufferfish which it uses to immobilize its prey and deter predators. This Hammerhead Worm was found in historic downtown Beaufort, South Carolina by Ginger Wareham So the enemy of our friend is… our enemy. Regular earthworms are good for the soil. So if you think of a hammerhead shark, put that head on a worm, and that’s exactly what it looks like. Dubbed a “toxic terrestrial flatworm,” Bipalium kewense is a carnivorous land planarian known to prey on earthworms, slugs, insect larvae, and other hammerhead worms. These cannabalistic worms can grow up to 12 inches and have a distinctive shovel or hammer-shaped head. ![]() Considered to be one of the top 100 WORST invasive species on the planet, Hammerhead worms may be lurking in your Lowcountry yard without you even knowing. ![]() Grab the salt…just when you think you’ve seen it all, you can always rely on Mother Nature to remind you that you aren’t even close. ![]()
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