Edmond man finds Hammerhead Worm on Porch
EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) - A man in north Edmond wants his neighbors to know about the type of carnivorous worm he found on his back porch and how to dispose of them properly.
Gerald Costner loves to work in the garden and in the lawn. He also loves to admire his work while drinking coffee on his back porch.
Saturday morning, Costner and his wife saw something creepy, crawly, and more than 5 inches long slithering across the patio.
"I see this crazy looking worm," said Costner. "It's head was shaped like an anvil like that right there."
It was slimy like a slug and flat like a flounder. Costner said this one was about the length of his cell phone.
"Stripes run the whole length of the body," said Costner.
Costner was understandably grossed out and had to get rid of it.
He grabbed some gardening shears and cut it in two. One half went into the back yard, the other half in the trash.
With the coast clear, Costner went to google. The results showed it was a hammerhead worm.
"It's a carnivorous worm. It's crazy, it feeds on earthworms which help propagate the soil," siad Costner.
References from the USDA said there are several different types of these worms. They all look slightly different. However, they all have stripes and that distinct-shaped head.
Plus, they secrete poisonous chemicals that can cause irritation to humans.
"And they can also be dangerous to animals," said Costner. "If they lick it, it can make the animal very sick."
The USDA said if you want to get rid of them, you can sprinkle some salt or dispose of them whole. Like other worms, their body parts grow back.
"So, we probably have four worms somewhere," said Costner.
You can also pick the worms up with tweezers and place them in a bag with vinegar or alcohol.
The good news is, hammerhead worms like to stay in the ground, except during all the rain we've been experiencing.
Also, no danger to plants.
In the meantime, Costner plans to inform his neighbors, but still work in the garden carefree.