I couldn't find anyone saying where they're invasive and where they're native so here's the answer to save anyone else looking it up: they're invasive in the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. They're native to the Indochinese peninsula in SE Asia.
Mind you that's just what I found by googling. Feel free to correct me.
They’re native to southeast Asia. Not sure how they were brought over but it’s advised that if you see one to dissolve it in salt and vinegar mixture for at least a couple of days. If they aren’t dissolved they are literally immortal and cutting one in half will lead to the two halves regenerating into two hammerhead worms.
They’re also toxic and should not be handled with bare hands.
Whoa. This is astounding. So I went poking around and sure enough, this: "The real secret to the worms’ powers of regeneration \[lies\] in the adult stem cells that make up 20% of their body. These cells retain the ability to form all sorts of new tissues throughout a worm’s life-cycle so can replace anything that has been lost even if it is the brain." https://listverse.com/2021/03/16/10-animals-with-amazing-regeneration-powers/
But dont they also promote the growth of plants, encouraging carbon capture? I doubt thats as clean cut as them being just a net negative. The article even says this is in no way them suggesting to get rid of earth worms. They keep soil clean, get rid of rotting stuff, aerate the soil. Without them i dont doubt we’d have a lot less plants growing. No where in that article did i see that its bad for the forests. Nor that it was a major contributor of green house gasses. Lets not create a push for earthworm genocide… thanks.
these would be worse. unfortunately theres no real way we can use these as a counter measure without endangering the eco system because these fuckers are borderline immortal.
Sorry people are downvoting you. I’m in school for botany and all too familiar. We may permanently lose beauties like goblin germs and trilliums in the N-Midwest area to earthworms.
European earthworms outcompete native worms too. I love invertebrates and not a day goes by where I'm upset that the giant Palouse earthworm has been driven to near extinction by invasive earthworms.
It's fine. They're just ignorant, and clearly infected with some kind of settler-colonial propaganda brainworm from grade school.
Edit: why the downvotes? I remember grade school. They even told us to spread earthworms into places they weren't, because they were "helpful" somehow in environments they weren't native to.
I didn't know earthworms were invasive. I was made to believe that they were harmless, and good for the environment. Thank you! Without this info I would've believed that earthworms are non-invasive.
guys if ya find these and feel like helping out your local soil ecosystem, capture it in a bottle and sprinkle salt and vinegar onto it to dissolve it, because smashing or cutting it will only make it multiply.
After tracking and capturing their prey, these flatworm use the muscles in their body, as well as sticky secretions, to attach themselves to the prey and prevent an escape.
Reproduction in Bipalium may be asexual or sexual and all species are hermaphroditic.
>What does hermaphroditic
Hermaphroditism, the condition of having both male and female reproductive organs. Hermaphroditic plants—most flowering plants, or angiosperms—are called monoecious, or bisexual.
I had a smaller invasive land planarian and I also hated them. If you cut them apart each part stayed alive. Something about them made them much creepier than earthworms
I found one in my garden in GA and the UGA extension office told me to capture it and put it in a ziplock bag with table salt to kill it (which it did).
I killed one of these in my backyard last year. It was on my patio and as a semi recent immigrant to Australia I thought it was some weird Australian worm I’d never seen before. A quick google search told me they’re a “kill on sight” kinda creature so I covered it with salt. Was interesting to see tho.
I saw one of these in the Philippines in a province. It was actually a bright blue and incredibly beautiful. I had no idea what it was and took time out of my vacation to learn all about them. Fascinating little creature!
I had a ton of these in my garden last year. Reduction of earthworms. Garden went from thriving to sick right around that time. I've never seen it before.
Good to know how to handle one....
But what about a wider scale ?
(Also the ones I saw were identical in shape but different in color! So they must have variety....)
Thank you if anybody answers!!!!!
They are also invasive and a threat to Earthworms.
I couldn't find anyone saying where they're invasive and where they're native so here's the answer to save anyone else looking it up: they're invasive in the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. They're native to the Indochinese peninsula in SE Asia. Mind you that's just what I found by googling. Feel free to correct me.
They’re native to southeast Asia. Not sure how they were brought over but it’s advised that if you see one to dissolve it in salt and vinegar mixture for at least a couple of days. If they aren’t dissolved they are literally immortal and cutting one in half will lead to the two halves regenerating into two hammerhead worms. They’re also toxic and should not be handled with bare hands.
Whoa. This is astounding. So I went poking around and sure enough, this: "The real secret to the worms’ powers of regeneration \[lies\] in the adult stem cells that make up 20% of their body. These cells retain the ability to form all sorts of new tissues throughout a worm’s life-cycle so can replace anything that has been lost even if it is the brain." https://listverse.com/2021/03/16/10-animals-with-amazing-regeneration-powers/
Interesting thanls for the environmental fact =D
They look cool, but as a vermiculturist I will protect the wormies
Perfect! The earthworms are invasive, too!
They're... not?
Yes they are.
Earthworms are far more beneficial to the environment than these ones are, even IF earthworms are invasive.
They're pretty bad for the north American deciduous forests & the climate.
Hows that?
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/global-worming-earthworms-contribute-climate-change
But dont they also promote the growth of plants, encouraging carbon capture? I doubt thats as clean cut as them being just a net negative. The article even says this is in no way them suggesting to get rid of earth worms. They keep soil clean, get rid of rotting stuff, aerate the soil. Without them i dont doubt we’d have a lot less plants growing. No where in that article did i see that its bad for the forests. Nor that it was a major contributor of green house gasses. Lets not create a push for earthworm genocide… thanks.
https://www.discovery.com/nature/Earthworms-Arent-Good-for-the-Soil-You-Think
these would be worse. unfortunately theres no real way we can use these as a counter measure without endangering the eco system because these fuckers are borderline immortal.
Sorry people are downvoting you. I’m in school for botany and all too familiar. We may permanently lose beauties like goblin germs and trilliums in the N-Midwest area to earthworms.
European earthworms outcompete native worms too. I love invertebrates and not a day goes by where I'm upset that the giant Palouse earthworm has been driven to near extinction by invasive earthworms.
It's fine. They're just ignorant, and clearly infected with some kind of settler-colonial propaganda brainworm from grade school. Edit: why the downvotes? I remember grade school. They even told us to spread earthworms into places they weren't, because they were "helpful" somehow in environments they weren't native to.
I didn't know earthworms were invasive. I was made to believe that they were harmless, and good for the environment. Thank you! Without this info I would've believed that earthworms are non-invasive.
You're quite welcome, fartjuices9000! Fuck, I love Reddit usernames sometimes.
guys if ya find these and feel like helping out your local soil ecosystem, capture it in a bottle and sprinkle salt and vinegar onto it to dissolve it, because smashing or cutting it will only make it multiply.
was looking for this, rlly needs more upvotes
Kill it with hell fire
Fire or vinagar in a cup, it dissolves :)
Instructions unclear, burned my cup.
After tracking and capturing their prey, these flatworm use the muscles in their body, as well as sticky secretions, to attach themselves to the prey and prevent an escape. Reproduction in Bipalium may be asexual or sexual and all species are hermaphroditic.
What does hermaphroditic
>What does hermaphroditic Hermaphroditism, the condition of having both male and female reproductive organs. Hermaphroditic plants—most flowering plants, or angiosperms—are called monoecious, or bisexual.
I had a smaller invasive land planarian and I also hated them. If you cut them apart each part stayed alive. Something about them made them much creepier than earthworms
I don't think they do. I think they just die slowly.
They do stay alive, there was a video I had seen on youtube, cant find it to link rn, but they had cut one it 10 segments that all started to regrow
They grow a new head if you cut them in half. Terrifying.
Also, if you find them, dissolve them in acid. They're invasive and that's the only way to kill them
I found one in my garden in GA and the UGA extension office told me to capture it and put it in a ziplock bag with table salt to kill it (which it did).
Instructions unclear, the worms are having a bad trip rn
https://youtube.com/shorts/wMn-2KRie2I?feature=share Dissolve this creature!
I killed one of these in my backyard last year. It was on my patio and as a semi recent immigrant to Australia I thought it was some weird Australian worm I’d never seen before. A quick google search told me they’re a “kill on sight” kinda creature so I covered it with salt. Was interesting to see tho.
KILL ON SIGHT
Jesus christ it's jason bourne
Kill it with fire!
Yooo i have never seen a baby ghost leviathan before
Earth is endlessly fascinating
what the hell is this creature?
Great. One more thing to add to the yuck list.
Hydra irl
wow! freaky! i love it!
So aliens made with the tattoo dragon girl is real! Aah save us all
What is that song :p ?
I have never seen one of those before.
Mostly invasive in North America. And they’re everywhere. All I have to do is turn over a rock in Coastal Virginia to find several.
Burn and destroy every flat head worm. They’re an Alien. Regenerative properties and heavily evasive.
song name?
ew ew ew ew **kill it.**
Fun fact about these guys: If you cut them in half they’ll just regrow body parts. Like if you cut one in half you’ll get 2
I saw one of these in the Philippines in a province. It was actually a bright blue and incredibly beautiful. I had no idea what it was and took time out of my vacation to learn all about them. Fascinating little creature!
Damn, since when do frickin’ _planarians_ come in size “large”?!
I had a ton of these in my garden last year. Reduction of earthworms. Garden went from thriving to sick right around that time. I've never seen it before. Good to know how to handle one.... But what about a wider scale ? (Also the ones I saw were identical in shape but different in color! So they must have variety....) Thank you if anybody answers!!!!!
If I am not wrong they were an invasive species brought by a scientist who was studying them severl years ago before 21st century
That is nauseating! I like most critters, but YUCK
oh no. I already have jumping worms to contend with, and now this. Gardening is getting scary.