What is formed like a shark, contains poison, and regenerates when cut in half? If you said hammerhead worm, you’d be right!
This creepy creature has a head that looks like a crescent moon and a flatworm body. They eat many garden insects that live in the soil and can damage your yard indirectly if they live in your soil.
Our helpful guide looks at everything you need to know about these nasty worms and what you can do to get rid of them.
Type of Worm
Worms are a common part of any garden. They help break up the soil and are essential for the health of your yard. Although there are thousands of types of worms, some are more common than others.
Compost worms
You can find these worms in piles of manure or rotting leaves. They eat organic matter and help make compost.
Earth Worker Worm
You will see these worms if you dig up the soil in your garden. They like to eat leaves and look for food at night.
Anecic Earthworms
These earthworms leave mounds of earth at the entrance to their tunnels. They carry dirt to their burrows and eat it there. What they digest returns essential nutrients to the soil.
Hammerworm
Hammerhead worms aren’t like other earthworms. They reach fifteen inches in length and are generally brown, green, gray, or gold in color.
These worms live in areas with high humidity such as tropical locations. You’ll often see them at night or after heavy rains.
They are carnivores and kill using poison. The hammerhead worm electrocutes its favourite food, the earthworm, and then eats it. This poison can cause mild irritation to the skin if you touch it.
Are Hammerhead Worms Bad for Your Yard
If you have these worms in your yard, they can damage it indirectly. These tunnel worms will not ruin a yard, but the hammerhead worm’s appetite might.
Earthworms help keep soil healthy, so hammerhead worms can harm the earth when they eat all of these worms. Lack of earthworms will also stop your plants from growing healthy and robust.
You can tell if you have hammerworms if you secrete red or black mucus or eggs. These worms also hide under rocks and logs or other damp places.
Hammerworm Pest Control
If you have a hammerworm problem, you can take steps to get rid of it. You can seal the worms in a plastic bag and throw away the bag. The salt will also dry out the worms and kill them effectively.
If your worm problem is significant, it is time to call a lawn pest service. Professional as it’s in Holmes’s Page & Pests can help you solve the problem.
Keep Your Yard Beautiful by Getting Rid of Hammerhead Worms
If you want to keep hammerworms from getting into your soil, stick with potted plants and soil. These worms do not move fast, so you should be capable to get rid of them if you see them.
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