Toxic 'Hammerhead Worm' Is Invading Texas, Triggering Warnings

Science Net via Yahoo ^ | 11/10/25 | Tessa Koumoundouros

[redinIllinois]

I bet salt would do it!!

[PUGACHEV]

Thanks!

[al_c]

I’m hoping they stay in south Texas.

[metmom]

Or vinegar.

We have jumping worms around here and they don’t like vinegar or mustard.

When I encounter them in the garden, I either douse them with vinegar, or pick them up and toss them in a bucket of soapy water.

I’m thinking of getting one of those weed burners things and going over the top layer of the soil with it to sterilize the soil. Would also kill a lot of weed seeds.

[Red6]

Ugly alien looking thing.

Hope no one with strong feelings for worms was offended.

[Cold Heart]

And by all means keep them away from Red Bull!

[Mastador1]

fueled by climate change

Stopped reading right there.

Same here, what a crock. There aint never been no heavy rain in Texas before the commies came up with globull warming, er, climate change.

[skinny old man]

From Wuhan?

[matthew fuller]

You are saying that they cannot be burnt?

[econjack]

No. It just said that cutting them up doesn’t kill them. There was no mention of tossing them in a fire, but I’ll bet that would work.

[ridesthemiles]

MY THOUGHT:APPLY SALT

[Joe 6-pack]

We've had these nasty little creatures in Alabama for a couple years now. I garden and do yardwork so am particularly attuned to their presence. I didn't see any this past spring/summer, but in 2024, had quite a few. The first time I saw one was a few years back and I had no idea what it was. I dropped it in five gallon plastic bucket and it easily crawled up the side and out of it in less than 30 seconds. I have quite a few ringneck snakes in the area and they will happily eat earthworms and slugs but won't touch flatworms.

When I found out what they were all about, the next time I found one, I poked a fire ant mound and then dropped the flatworm into the ants that made pretty short work of it, so I've discovered the one redeeming feature of fire ants. Normally I just toss them into a little can of rock salt (with a lid) I keep handy in my shed just for them.

[Libloather]

Instead, authorities advise not to touch the flatworms with bare hands, but where it's safe, to place the worms in a bag and freeze them for 48 hours.

And bring them back to life once global warming becomes irreversible? No way, Jose.

[Salman]

It's an invasive species. Presumably somebody brought it in by accident.
How is that an effect of climate change?