Mollusc-eating Hammerhead Worm

Bipalium vagum

Order
Family
Genus
Species
Regional

This bug has been reportedly found in the following regions:

Mobile, Alabama

Ozark, Alabama

El Dorado, Arkansas

Citrus Heights, California

Fallbrook, California(5 reports)

Brooksville, Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Melbourne, Florida

Naples, Florida

Augusta, Georgia

Griffin, Georgia

Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

Wheeler AFB, Hawaii

Franklin, Louisiana

Blue Eye, Missouri

Wake Forest, North Carolina

Seneca, South Carolina

Swansea, South Carolina

Dallas, Texas

Lyle, Washington

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Gardener's Notes:
0 positive 4 neutral 2 negative
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mistifarang

| September 2014 | Neutral
I found this flatworm in my garden in Bangkok
E

ErzsebetF

Swansea, SC (Zone 8b) | June 2014 | Neutral
I just found my first hammerhead worm underneath a self watering flower pot on the edge of my herb bed. I do not think I like the looks of this worm. I certainly don't want this worm to eat my beneficial earthworms!
I read the University of Florida report about this worm and I am not encouraged. It appears that these imports are probably getting around in potted plants we buy at our garden shops! which are carried from the greenhouses. Gee, thanks Burpee! and/or Bonnie Bell!
I think the next time I find one, I will put it in a jar of alcohol. I do not want to encourage this worm to grow and get into my vegetable garden; or my herb beds.
I think I like my friendly earthworms better!
w

wormsci

Cortland, NY | October 2010 | Neutral
The following link connects to a paper about the differences between the three most common broadhead planarians now found in North America. It includes a figure showing the color pattern differences among their heads.

http://faculty.kutztown.edu/butler/ducey2007.pdf

If that doesn't work, the article was published in the Southeastern Naturalist 6:449-460 in 2007.
a

alfu

Gainesville, FL | July 2010 | Neutral
This worm is frequently mistaken for B. kewense, which eats mainly earthworms:

Creation Wiki:
http://creationwiki.org/File:Land_planarian.jpg

University of Florida Dept of Entomology:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians.htm
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN20600.pdf

Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipalium_kewense<... read more
g

gshare74

Citrus Heights, CA | June 2010 | Negative
We found one of these worms the other day in our yard, since then I have found about 15 in my courtyard after I water. I cant find much info on it except that they eat earthworms. I want to know how to kill it, how long they live, ext.
g

gagurl330

Winston Salem, NC | July 2009 | Negative
My son and I saw this worm on our sidewalk after an early evening rain. I just recently bought four containers of lavender from Lowe's. I've never seen anything like this before and contacted the Extension Agency for our county. They didn't take a report.
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