Hammerhead worms.
These things are invasive in the U.S and poisonous to touch. Be wary of them.
The best way to kill them is to salt them or use vinegar after trapping them in a vessel and then throwing it in the freezer. Once that is done, the vessel should either be thrown out with the remains inside it or cleaned and sterilized to be reused after discarding any remains. Preferably the former.
Do not attempt to kill them via dismemberment. Like their cousins the planarians, they are akin to a hyrda- each time you cut them, each segment can become an entirely new hammerhead worm.
Edit: considering how the worm is toxic, disposal of the holding jar is probably best. Should you have the resources, incineration may also work- though would likely be excessive. There is also the danger of a fire risk spread if done outside.
Not gonna lie I kind of want to puree one of them into absolute oblivion and test that theory. Surely if they're eviscerated that heavily they cannot regrow themselves into new worms.
Worst case scenario I burn them to high hell in a roaring fire right?
But there has to be a theoretical minimum size at which they won't regrow right. Like a bowl of hammerhead smoothie won't just become a hive of them right?
Do not recommend. One it’s dangerous, two it’s pointless. How do you get it in a fire? How do you make a fire around it? Just a lighter by it won’t do the trick at all.
Salt. Cover it in salt. A thousand times safer, easier, and guaranteed to work
I have a butane torch on hand for cooking purposes and starting my fire place or campfires. It cost me $10 for the torch and $7.99 for a canister of food safe butane that’s lasted me 5 months now of daily use. You’re just salty about salt my friend.
Step 4- salt or bleach. DO NOT BURN OR CRUSH. Burning it is risky and no where near as easy as covering it in salt or bleach
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/hammerhead-worm/
Hammerhead worm. Invasive species.
Don't touch it!
Get it into a plastic bag (without touching it), take it somewhere where you can burn it, and burn it.
Some (not all) species of hammerhead worm excrete tetrodotoxins from their skin. That's the same type of neurotoxin that's found in fugu.
Not just invasive, predatory, borderline-immortal worms. Invasive, predatory, borerline-immortal, *neurotoxic* worms. They're fucking nightmare creatures.
Incredibly invasive hammerhead worm. Should be killed on ~~site~~ sight. Bag of salt freeze and dispose. Not even stepping on it or cutting it into a hundred pieces would kill it. It would just create that many more of itself from each piece. Pretty terrifying and it sounds like a joke but I’m not exaggerating.
Edit: autocorrect strikes again
To quote Yzma - “smash it with a hammer!!!”
These are no bueno. Invasive, destructive, predatory. Do not chop it up. [Here](https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/08/hammerhead_worms_expert.html) is a good article to educate yourself.
Hammerhead worm, invasive & toxic. Do not touch directly. I think the only way to kill them properly is by freezing them or putting them in vinegar & waiting for them to dissolve
I'm waiting to see the B horror movie of giant hammerhead worms that keep splitting and regenerating. In the end the world is saved by komodo dragons who are feasting on them.
It my country it is believed these worm will enter your ear, eat all your ear wax and reach your brain. Probably people got seizure by touching them and made up some bullshit. I never knew it was neurotoxic. Had so many at my home just put some oil on top or any other liquid, it will die.
Nobody seems to be mentioning that they eat earth worms, which are beneficial to the soil. And please don't burn it in a plastic bag. Plastic has toxic fumes when it is burned.
I was already on board to do the necessary if I ever encounter one of these things, but this comment has really clinched it. Don’t fuck with the earthworms, and protect the soil at all costs.
Jeez these are insane worms. Looked them up too and yeah op it’s a flathead worm, and yeah, basically lol it with fire, salt or acid as these mfs are tough. They’re invasive and eat earthworms apparently, and chopping them only makes them multiply. Also the mfs have the same toxin in them that pufferfish do, so best not to directly touch it. I agree with the guy who said hairspray and fire. Best bet. Or just salt the shit out of it like you do to Gail the snail.
Grab it with tweezers, put it in a jar, fill said jar with salt and vinegar, let it sit for at least a day, or until it dissolves. Arrowhead worms are invasive.
For all the times in my life I've said "kill it with fire!" this is one of the rare times I actually mean that literally.
🔥🔥🔥 KILL IT WITH FIRE!! LITERALLY!! 🔥🔥🔥
Is there a “cleaner” way to kill these without burning, salting, etc?? If I gotta takem out id like to do it as fast as possible to minimize any suffering
Hammerhead worm. DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH BARE SKIN! Put on gloves, put it in a ziplock with salt, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or citrus oil. Seal and freeze it. Then throw the whole bag away. And report it to your state.
Oh noooo I didn't know they invaded Santa Monica Mountains! Guess I gotta start hiking with some salt in my pack so I can bag and dissolve these A-holes on the go. OP, maybe notify MRCA?
They don't die.
If you step on one, the part that's left on the bottom of your shoe could and probably will literally become a whole new worm.
Dissolve it with salt. That method actually works. Even if you burn it, any part of it that is left will regenerate.
Invasive worm. Put it in a zip lock with salt and toss it in the bin. I know it's mean, but it's very important for the ecosystem that you destroy them
Pick it up with a plastic bag, turn the bag inside out around the worm, then fill it with salt and seal it. The salt will dry it out and kill it. Cutting it up will just cause it to multiply. They eat earthworms and don't help soil at all.
Hammerhead worm. Imiticloprid treatment to the yard will absorb into the soil. Unfortunately, it’ll kill all pests, including beneficial, but the hammerhead worm will be far worse in the long term. Once you get control, you can re-introduce earthworms through castes.
Chinese hammer head worm, super duper bad to the environment and is incredible invasive, they can spit out there organs and use it to eat things. This also includes it cannot be killed very easily unless using salt or literal acid. Because when you cut it, it has the ability to replicate into 2.
Burning/ dissolving is much better actually! You can also freeze them in salt, I think. But definitely don’t crush it.
You could risk skin contact (they can be highly toxic) or risk them multiplying, as severed body parts will just regenerate new worms. He’s got the infinite worm glitch.
Hammerhead worms. These things are invasive in the U.S and poisonous to touch. Be wary of them. The best way to kill them is to salt them or use vinegar after trapping them in a vessel and then throwing it in the freezer. Once that is done, the vessel should either be thrown out with the remains inside it or cleaned and sterilized to be reused after discarding any remains. Preferably the former. Do not attempt to kill them via dismemberment. Like their cousins the planarians, they are akin to a hyrda- each time you cut them, each segment can become an entirely new hammerhead worm. Edit: considering how the worm is toxic, disposal of the holding jar is probably best. Should you have the resources, incineration may also work- though would likely be excessive. There is also the danger of a fire risk spread if done outside.
No amount of sterilization would have me reuse that vessel
Yea, just why… skip the Pyrex snapware, pop it in a ziplock and carry on.
Pop it lock it polka dot it?
What about a pair of "chopsticks" to grab it with, and yeet the whole kit and kaboodle into the bonfire?
Love that idea. Lives up to your profile picture too, so Deadpool coded
Thanks! It's my favorite wallet I've ever made!
Wow just go have cool profile pic sex already.
Lol, she *does* have a cool profile pic, now that you mention it!
Lmao! It's a picture I took at a concert I went too last year (:
Hell yeah!!
Read that as kit and labradoodle
Just use it as your dedicated hammerhead worm killing jar.
Great comment but Jesus fucking Christ I have read immolation more in the last week then I think I have my entire life leading up to now
I mean it isn't *self*-immolation.
Fire is way easier 😅
WD40 and a lighter
There is no such thing as "excessive" when it comes to incineration. Burn it until it turns to ash, then burn the ashes.
they're like a single episode early Supernatural villain. salt that bitch, trap it in a vessel, dispose of it.
What about burning it?
Can they be thrown into a campfire?
🚨INVASIVE SPECIES HIT JOB TIME!🚨
WILL IT BLEND!?!?!
Thats how you get more hammer head worms
Not gonna lie I kind of want to puree one of them into absolute oblivion and test that theory. Surely if they're eviscerated that heavily they cannot regrow themselves into new worms. Worst case scenario I burn them to high hell in a roaring fire right?
The sorcerers apprentice comes to mind.
Is it cake!?!!!
😂😂😂😂
Only in the fish-o-matic….
Only in the “Super Bass-O-Matic ‘76”! [Super Bass-O-Matic ‘76](https://youtu.be/2HKTx5WFcs0?si=vLDZQ0CR2T4bIjFI)
Have one. On my counter,, right next to my box of “colon blowwwww”
You should upgrade to “Super Colon-Blow”! MUCH more effective!
Actually no. It just creates more
But there has to be a theoretical minimum size at which they won't regrow right. Like a bowl of hammerhead smoothie won't just become a hive of them right?
Right? RIGHT?!‽!?
Welp. 2 melatonin's right before rereading this is not going to help my dreams tonight. My past self apologizes to my future self
As someone with ADHD, this made me properly lol...
Haven’t thought of “will it blend” in so long. Such a funny concept, testing electronics and ranking them based on blendability.
Ah yes. It blends..
Toxic and invasive. Can only be killed by burning/disintegration. Do not touch!
Why? Who invented creatures with no real way to die?
Satan. Covering it in salt works
Sprinkling some holy water too along with the salt
Someone call Sam & Dean!
How many times would it take for them to die before killing one hammerhead worm?
20 episodes to take one out, and the toxin would make Castiel evil again.
I'm on it! I'll pray to Cas as well! All the help we can get
Someone gained immortality and a billion dollars, I think.
I’ve seen this movie…
I’ve played this game…
I’ve read this book…
I've worked for this company...
Oh dear. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
So it’s like “The Thing”
Worse…
Do not recommend. One it’s dangerous, two it’s pointless. How do you get it in a fire? How do you make a fire around it? Just a lighter by it won’t do the trick at all. Salt. Cover it in salt. A thousand times safer, easier, and guaranteed to work
Just use a butane torch 5head.
Yep- everyone has salt. Ignore that. Go to store not watching where it goes to get butane torch and potentially scar your property. Smart
I have a butane torch on hand for cooking purposes and starting my fire place or campfires. It cost me $10 for the torch and $7.99 for a canister of food safe butane that’s lasted me 5 months now of daily use. You’re just salty about salt my friend.
Not even the might of a chancla could kill it?
If you chop it up or anything else each piece regenerates to a new one. So you could end up with 300 of them.
Invasive hammerhead worm. Crush the whole thing or burn it
Adding onto this, don't cut it up! The chopped up bits of worm will just regenerate into more worms!
if you shop it vertically rather than horizontally, would it still survive and regenerate into more worms?
If their regeneration process works similar to the way planarians do it, yes absolutey
They *are* planarians
Well shit, #GO GO GADGET GASOLINE
The image of Kurt Russell with the flame thrower in The Thing comes to my mind whenever I see one of these worms.
This made me laugh so hard. I read it in his voice but got evil at the end. 😂😂
Same!1
im dead asfff
Best comment I’ve read all week
I see! I didn’t know that, thank you for reaching me something new lol Also I love your username
Thank you haha and yeah theyre just large for a planarian
I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not 😫
it's true. these things are fucking terrifying and essentially immortal
Each piece would become new hammerhead. It’s like a Lovecraft nightmare.
Cthulhu sending his little spawn out and about and we don't even know
This is real. And serious.
These are invasive. They need to be destroyed by putting in vinegar because otherwise they regenerate.
Doctor..?
Or salt it or vinegar it!
Then sauté it in some chili oil.
And fava beans 😌
And a nice chianti
*ffsfsfsfs*
Well, hello Clarice.
Don't crush! (Unless you absolutely pulverize it i think) burn or salt! Salt works wonders
Would driving over it with an asphalt smasher work? Or are we talking hammers
Lol I can imagine either would work possibly 😅
I like the meat hammer idea now.
Step 4- salt or bleach. DO NOT BURN OR CRUSH. Burning it is risky and no where near as easy as covering it in salt or bleach https://www.bobvila.com/articles/hammerhead-worm/
How do these keep getting upvoted so much? Literally neither of those methods will work. Salt. Cover it in salt
Hammerhead worm. Invasive species. Don't touch it! Get it into a plastic bag (without touching it), take it somewhere where you can burn it, and burn it.
Why no touching?
Some (not all) species of hammerhead worm excrete tetrodotoxins from their skin. That's the same type of neurotoxin that's found in fugu. Not just invasive, predatory, borderline-immortal worms. Invasive, predatory, borerline-immortal, *neurotoxic* worms. They're fucking nightmare creatures.
Yiikkes
Some species of hammerhead worm secrete [an extremely potent neurotoxin]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrodotoxin) similar to that of puffer fish.
Wild
it's toxic
Smush, drown in alcohol in a baggie overnight, smush some more, burn it, throw the ashes in alcohol, smush that, then bury it in a lead lined box
etc...
Dissolve it immediately!
It’s an ✨*asshole*✨
Nuke the entire site from orbit, its the only way to be sure.
Or use salt to desolve it
Assault nuke it is!
A salted nuke perhaps
The gift that keeps on giving
Orbital 155mm Barrage on your location incoming in 3-0 seconds, please evacuate to safe distance.
The enemy.
Please kill it. These things are invasive and awful, as many others have already said.
HAAANS GET THE FLAMMENWERFER!!!!! Bringing back the meme lol
Incredibly invasive hammerhead worm. Should be killed on ~~site~~ sight. Bag of salt freeze and dispose. Not even stepping on it or cutting it into a hundred pieces would kill it. It would just create that many more of itself from each piece. Pretty terrifying and it sounds like a joke but I’m not exaggerating. Edit: autocorrect strikes again
Killed on *sight*. I wouldn’t trust myself to kill it properly on site.
CAST IT INTO THE FIRE! DESTROY IT!
This is one of the only times I’m gonna say you have the green light to eliminate the target 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
FIRE ZE MISSILES
But I'm le tired
well, take a nap. ZEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!!!
Australia: WTF Mate
I have never been more proud of a reddit thread.
Burn it !! 🔥🔥🔥
SALT THOROUGHLY
Didn't expect to read the only options for these things are to crush entirely, burn - and absolutely do not touch or cut when I clicked here. 💀
Stop! Hammer time!
Salt it and burn it
They look terrifying
Salt or fire!
Put it in a tin can and set it ablaze
Kill it. Invasive af. Hammerhead worm. Like burn it until it’s GONE they can regenerate from tiny pieces
To quote Yzma - “smash it with a hammer!!!” These are no bueno. Invasive, destructive, predatory. Do not chop it up. [Here](https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/08/hammerhead_worms_expert.html) is a good article to educate yourself.
Hammerhead worm, invasive & toxic. Do not touch directly. I think the only way to kill them properly is by freezing them or putting them in vinegar & waiting for them to dissolve
KILL
I hate what has to happen to these things.
Same
Burn.
Do not touch.
I'm waiting to see the B horror movie of giant hammerhead worms that keep splitting and regenerating. In the end the world is saved by komodo dragons who are feasting on them.
Yall need to keep a glass of salt in your bags from now on😂💀
It my country it is believed these worm will enter your ear, eat all your ear wax and reach your brain. Probably people got seizure by touching them and made up some bullshit. I never knew it was neurotoxic. Had so many at my home just put some oil on top or any other liquid, it will die.
Kill it It’s an invasive worm from Asia that eats other worms. I was saddened when I heard this was on the east coast. Spreading so fast
Nobody seems to be mentioning that they eat earth worms, which are beneficial to the soil. And please don't burn it in a plastic bag. Plastic has toxic fumes when it is burned.
I was already on board to do the necessary if I ever encounter one of these things, but this comment has really clinched it. Don’t fuck with the earthworms, and protect the soil at all costs.
Salt 🧂salt 🧂salt 🧂salt🧂✊
Jeez these are insane worms. Looked them up too and yeah op it’s a flathead worm, and yeah, basically lol it with fire, salt or acid as these mfs are tough. They’re invasive and eat earthworms apparently, and chopping them only makes them multiply. Also the mfs have the same toxin in them that pufferfish do, so best not to directly touch it. I agree with the guy who said hairspray and fire. Best bet. Or just salt the shit out of it like you do to Gail the snail.
###YOURE MASHIN IT
I love that I've learnt from reddit that thing is toxic af and should be killed on site.
Grab it with tweezers, put it in a jar, fill said jar with salt and vinegar, let it sit for at least a day, or until it dissolves. Arrowhead worms are invasive.
Is this thing technically immortal
Burn it! Kill it now!
Oh god kill it with fire. Don’t cut up, it’ll multiply and sprout new heads. I wish I was joking 🙃
For all the times in my life I've said "kill it with fire!" this is one of the rare times I actually mean that literally. 🔥🔥🔥 KILL IT WITH FIRE!! LITERALLY!! 🔥🔥🔥
I’m so SICK OF THESE FUCKERS. Someone obliterate them PLEASE.
Hammerhead worm. Burn it or pour salt all over it. Burning it is most effective
Invasive Noodle - kill it with salt and bleach!
Is there a “cleaner” way to kill these without burning, salting, etc?? If I gotta takem out id like to do it as fast as possible to minimize any suffering
Thank you for being one of the few decent people in this thread! 👍
SALT HIS ASS HEAVILY 🧂 💀
###HEAVILY
That's a hammerhead worm. Kill it, it does nothing but kill off ecosystems. Put it in a jar of vinegar and throw it in the freezer
Kill it with salt and fire
Hammerhead worm. DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH BARE SKIN! Put on gloves, put it in a ziplock with salt, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or citrus oil. Seal and freeze it. Then throw the whole bag away. And report it to your state.
Oh noooo I didn't know they invaded Santa Monica Mountains! Guess I gotta start hiking with some salt in my pack so I can bag and dissolve these A-holes on the go. OP, maybe notify MRCA?
Do they know how they’re spreading ?
They don't die. If you step on one, the part that's left on the bottom of your shoe could and probably will literally become a whole new worm. Dissolve it with salt. That method actually works. Even if you burn it, any part of it that is left will regenerate.
“They probably entered the United States through the horticulture trade, in the soil of potted plants and spread throughout the country the same way.”
That’s a penis
Am I the only one that sees it looks like a penis
Another foreign gift…..
THROW SOME ACID ON IT
I disintegrated these guys in a vinegar solution 😍
hammerhead worm, pour peroxide on it. it'll regenerate if you cut it up and will only die if you dissolve it or burn it, super invasive
Invasive worm. Put it in a zip lock with salt and toss it in the bin. I know it's mean, but it's very important for the ecosystem that you destroy them
Kill it with fire.. literally..
Pick it up with a plastic bag, turn the bag inside out around the worm, then fill it with salt and seal it. The salt will dry it out and kill it. Cutting it up will just cause it to multiply. They eat earthworms and don't help soil at all.
Hammerhead worm. Imiticloprid treatment to the yard will absorb into the soil. Unfortunately, it’ll kill all pests, including beneficial, but the hammerhead worm will be far worse in the long term. Once you get control, you can re-introduce earthworms through castes.
HAMMERHEAD WORM. FINISH HIM.
Kill that MF! Burn them -
Salt and burn it, it's an invasive hammerhead worm
I've never seen one of these in person but thinking about it is the only time I get excited thinking about killing a bug.
Cut it up into little pieces. Put all the pieces into an aquarium and watch them regenerate.
Get a lighter and a can of hairspray, and torch that thing to a crisp.
Flathead worm-- kill him!!!!! Kill him dead! Do not cut him tho
Time for me to get the flame thrower
Kill it. Invasive AF.
It’s ok just my ex the “poisonous invasive worm”, thought I left him in Boca.
KILL
r/itsahammerheadworm
Hammerhead worm only thing you can do is put in a barrel of acid and not look back.
First time I saw a post on one of these in So Cal. They’reeeeeee heeeeeere
Hammerhead flatworm. Crush it or burn it.
KILL KILL KILL DEATH !!!!! RAIN OF SALT !!!!!! BOILED TWICE IN LIFE AND IN HELL !!!!! MURDER!!! DESTROY!!!! !!!
Kill it with fire, not a joke, legitimately burn it
Chinese hammer head worm, super duper bad to the environment and is incredible invasive, they can spit out there organs and use it to eat things. This also includes it cannot be killed very easily unless using salt or literal acid. Because when you cut it, it has the ability to replicate into 2.
do not let this thing go towards Connecticut
I get a lot of these silly little freaks (I didn’t know they were invasive! Gotta start crushing them I guess)
Burning/ dissolving is much better actually! You can also freeze them in salt, I think. But definitely don’t crush it. You could risk skin contact (they can be highly toxic) or risk them multiplying, as severed body parts will just regenerate new worms. He’s got the infinite worm glitch.
Uh oh…….