Did you have a guess about last week’s puzzler? Have you ever seen this in your garden?
Last week’s puzzler was a photo of a Hammerhead Worm, a kind of land planarian, specifically Bipalium kewense, which is a long, predatory worm originating from Southeast Asia. It is thought to have gotten to the United States through the plant trade, as it is often associated with potted plants. It is also called the Arrowhead Flatworm and was found to be living in the United States more than 100 years ago. So it is nothing new, though it may be new to YOU when you find it in your garden.
Should you be worried if you find one? Will it harm you? Are your dog, cat or other pets in jeopardy? Not unless your pet is an earthworm as this is its primary source of food, though it will also eat slugs, snails, grubs, and other soil invertebrates. These hammerhead worms track earthworms by following their slime and then immobilizes the helpless earthworm with its muscular body and slimy secretions and–amazingly, it “then everts its pharynx, connecting it to the earthworm’s body and begins digestion.” The worm has a neurotoxin that results in paralysis of the prey. The worm is liquified and then eaten… Yum. I’m glad I finished my breakfast!
And just in case you need another weird or gross fact for your next dinner party, the worm has no eyes and its mouth, which is halfway down its body, is also its BUTT! Imagine the horror! And these worms, if resources are low, will become cannibals and eat each other! Yikes. I imagine this animal won’t make many Favorite Animal lists!
But since they do feed on slugs and snails, both of which are a gardener’s enemy, they aren’t all bad.
When I was looking for information about this I found several pretty graphic videos of this worm finding and eating an earthworm. I thought they were a bit gruesome and so passed on linking here, but if you want to be grossed out some more, you can search for videos of Bipalium kewense eating an earthworm and you will find plenty to fill your time and curiosity.
No body can claim our world is boring! Such amazing creatures with such fascinating adaptations. It really is a wonderful world in which we live.
Have a great day… wishing you much amusement until we meet again.
Resources:
The hammerhead earthworm. Everybody (whom you showed it to).knows that
This worm eats earthworms! Yikes! Glad I don’t have the problem of being tracked and eaten by one.
True, if they have a good memory!