Ugly, destructive flatworms may be in your yard.

[happyflowerlady]

I was just reading an article about flatworms. I always thought that worms were a beneficial creature out in the lawn, but it turns out that the flatworm is more of a cannibal type of worm, and it actually will eat the beneficial earthworms.
Flatworms come or mainly at night, similar to night crawlers, and can grow up to almost 2 feet long,and they have a weird head, appropriately called a hammer head.
If you find them, they should be killed, as they do not do anything beneficial, and eat the good earthworms that do help the lawn and garden.
Here is the link to the article that I was reading about the flatworm:

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Land-Planarian-flatworm_vq389.htm

 

[limcid]

From the article:

Smashing this pest is the thing to do, except for the fact that it grows back from small pieces. A better solution is to spray with orange oil to completely destroy it and prevent return.

Ugh, what a beast! This sounds like something out of a science fiction movie. It also extends its throat out of its body and into the earthworm, swallowing small bits of the earthworm at a time. This reminds me of the movie Alien. I'm so glad these creatures, and so many others, are so small.

 

[ChanellG]

Ugh is right! I hope there aren't any of those awful things burrowing under the surface in my yard! Getting rid of them is not a task I would want to have to undertake. Just when you think it's safe to go out into the garden... LOL!

 

[claudine]

Yuck! Yuck, yuck! They look so disgusting. I've never seen anything like this in my garden, if I did, I would run away screaming. I hope that they don't live in my climate zone.