Be On The Lookout For A New Invasive Species In Kentucky This Year

Here at OnlyInKentucky, we do our best to keep y’all as informed as possible… even when it comes to things we wish we didn’t have to share. Enter: the hammerhead worm, an invasive species that’s been spotted rearing its ugly little (hammer)head in certain corners of Kentucky this year. Here’s what you need to be on the lookout for with this unwelcome little guest in Kentucky.

You know that feeling you get when you see something slither past out of the corner of your eye? That’s your intuition. Don’t ignore it.

PvilleSteve/Wikipedia

This is Bipalium, an invasive species of a snake-like worm that’s been reported in states all across the South.

Blondinrikard Fröberg/Flickr

Also known as the “hammerhead worm,” the species, which can reach nearly a foot long, get their name from the shape of their heads. The mouths of hammerhead worms are not located on their head, but rather halfway down the bottom surface of their bodies.

Mohammed Rafiq/Wikipedia

Native to Southeast Asia, hammerhead worms are a reckless and fast-reproducing invasive species. They are hermaphroditic, meaning they possess both male and female organs, and are able to reproduce with a mate and asexually.

Bart Everson/Flickr

They’re not just hideous; they’re dangerous. These worms are carnivorous, eating primarily earthworms and other invertebrates in the soil. Additionally, the worms produce tetrodotoxin, the same poison found in pufferfish.

Mike Prince/Flickr

They pose no danger to humans unless you pick one up, as the slime might cause skin irritation.

Scadgrad/Wikipedia

And in terms of invasive species, they’re truly terrible, having the potential to seriously affect local earthworm populations. Earthworms, as you know, are highly beneficial to the ecosystem, converting organic matter into nutrients that feed plants. When earthworms disappear, their benefits cease.

Dodo-Bird/Flickr

Kentucky is a warm and welcoming Southern state, but this invasive species is not welcome here.

Francesco Veronesi/Flickr

Have you spotted the hammerhead worm in your corner of the Bluegrass? If so, please share the details with your fellow Kentuckians in the comments below!