This Invasive Worm In Texas Is a Real-Life Super Villain

Behold one of Texas' most hated worm species, the hammerhead flatworm.

Boo!

No but seriously, these guys have everything going for them to become a comic-book villain. Let me explain:

Arch-nemesis

Every villain needs a rival. In this case, the hammerhead flatworms are known predators of earthworms.

For every good garden to thrive, earthworms are needed to help spread organic nutrients to your soil. Not to mention that tunnels bored by earthworms can help facilitate root growth in your plants.

Toxic skin

Hammerhead worms produce chemicals through their skin that can be harmful or irritating to the skin of humans and small animals, if ingested. Not to mention that they often carry parasites that can transfer hosts if someone decides it's a good idea to eat one...

Ability of enhanced self-preservation

Much like that super villain that always manages to escape the clutches of Batma- I mean your standard hero, the hammerhead worm sure can be tough to kill.

First off, they are found in the same habitats as earthworms which, as we've just discussed, are the good guys. So, any harmful pesticides used could impact them as well.

Also, hammerhead worms are hermaphroditic, so they don't need a mommy worm and daddy worm to make baby worms. Instead, they just pinch off a section of their own body (fragmentation) to fend for itself and slowly become its own fully-functioning hammerhead worm in about 10 days time.

Citrus oil, vinegar and salt are known ways of eliminating these worms once and for all.

So, all in all, the next time you see one of these worms after heavy rain in Texas, make sure you know how to properly dispose of them and be the hero in your own fantasy world.