They prey on earthworms, and can completely decimate a garden if they aren’t taken care of. Hammerhead worms are considered an invasive species. Hammerhead worms typically stow away in these things and then hide themselves under rocks, leaves, and logs, keeping out of the sun.Īlthough they’re harmless to people, they can be devastating to a garden. If you’re a landscaper then you’re probably carrying a lot of soil and/or plants around to be used in your work. They are typically found on the Gulf Coast due to its warmer climate they are also often found in nursery plants and greenhouses in colder regions of the USA. These worms have been found in many states including: Arkansas They’ve been reported across the USA since the1980s, but they’ve been around since the early 1900s, arriving in shipments of exotic plants from Asia and Madagascar. Hailing from southeast Asia and Madagascar, hammerhead worms tend to prefer humid tropical and subtropical climates. Hammerhead worms are just one member of that family. They’re also called the Broadhead Planarian, but the broadhead planarian is a flatworm family. Other names for hammerhead worms include: The cilia on their creeping soles help them glide, and they leave behind a thick string of mucus just like slugs, too. To be fair, they look a lot like slugs as they move in a slug-like fashion. Hammerhead worms are often called hammerhead slugs.

Sometimes, you might hear hammerhead worms referred to as shovelhead or arrowhead worms. They can be found in shades of black, gray, orange, or brown. Some hammerhead worms have stripes, but others do not. Hammerhead worms secrete thick, dense mucus from their undersides as they move. Most, however, will only grow to about an inch – at least that’s a nightmare to save for another day! These worms are massive, with some growing to 20 inches long. Its head looks just like a hammerhead shark, as I mentioned. The hammerhead worm, the full name of which is Bipalium kewense, is a hammerhead flatworm or land planarian. By PvilleSteve – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link Hammerhead Worms Fun Facts Latin name

Worm with a flat head