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The hammerhead worm immediately stops you in your tracks. The striped flatworm slithers like a snake and resembles a piece of whole-wheat spaghetti, led by its mushroom-shaped head. And it also secretes tetrodotoxin, the same debilitating neurotoxin found in puffer fish.

Last week, one was spotted in Oakton, Va.

More accurately, Peanut, a 6-year-old miniature dachshund, stepped on a 14-inch hammerhead worm. The worm slithered from the grass onto the driveway, stuck to Peanut’s foot, flipped up and entangled itself around Peanut’s hind legs. Then, it broke into multiple pieces. Each piece can function as an independent worm, squirm away and regenerate into more slithering, sticky worms.

“These worms are one of the craziest creatures I have ever seen and are pretty darned creepy,” said entomologist Michael Raupp, who drove to Peanut’s house and collected a sample of the worms. Raupp, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, theorized the worms may have been introduced into Peanut’s yard with an application of mulch or with strips of sod that were placed near the driveway.

Kevin Ambrose

The hammerhead worm (Bipalium) is an invasive flatworm from Asia, probably spreading to many new locations through the exportation of exotic plants. A handful of sightings have been reported across the Washington area recently. According to the <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/" target=_blank>iNaturalist app</a>, Arlington has 43 instances of the worms, D.C. has 16, Virginia has 248 and Maryland has 91 over the past 15 years.

<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ddi.13489#" target=_blank>Research shows</a> the genus has spread across the world, especially along the East Coast of the United States. Computer models show the Eastern United States will continue to be a suitable environment for the worms, as the climate warms.

The good news is that the worm isn’t a threat to humans unless ingested or handled, biologist Amber Stokes said.

“Yes, they are poisonous, but they are so small that you would have to actually eat many of them to have any ill effects. I feel pretty doubtful that most people are interested in eating them,” Stokes, a professor at California State University at Bakersfield, said in an email.

Experts said handling them can cause issues like skin irritation. Additionally, like many flatworms, they can carry parasitic nematodes. They can also be dangerous to pets if ingested. But the worms are sensitive to light and don’t usually appear when the sun is out, leaving most of the day worm-free for people and many pets.

Other creatures, though, suffer a deadlier fate. With no natural predators in the Washington region, hammerhead worms are voracious hunters of other invertebrates that are often much larger than they are, including earthworms, snails, and slugs.

Stokes said these terrestrial flatworms are unique because they contain the toxin tetrodotoxin (TTX), which causes paralysis of the muscle tissue. The work of her and her colleagues suggests that the worms use this toxin in a behavior called capping. They have been observed crawling on an earthworm and rubbing their head over the earthworm, at which stage scientists think the hammerheads are using their toxin. Shortly after, the earthworm becomes less mobile. The hammerhead then secretes digestive enzymes and sucks the liquefied tissue into its gut. When digestion is complete, the worm’s mouth also serves as its anus.

“They have the potential to do damage to invertebrate populations, which then risks organisms up the food chain as well,” Stokes said.

Experts say it can be challenging to get rid of the hammerhead worms. Coming from a climate similar to the Mid-Atlantic, they don’t die because of cold winter weather. The worms can’t be cut because the fragments will reproduce into additional hammerheads. There’s also no effective yard treatment for the worms that won’t also harm other wildlife, naturalist Alonso Abugattas said.

Instead, the worm can be immobilized with a dose of salt. Salt draws water out of the worm, instantly halting the invertebrate. And after an application of salt, the worm can be easily picked up and placed into a bag for disposal. But don’t touch it; use a stick or wear gloves. Any exposed areas of skin or clothing — or pets — should be washed with soap and water.

“People should wear gloves when dealing with hammerhead worms,” said Abugattas, who founded the Facebook group called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428738304011660" target=_blank>Capital Naturalist</a>. “The worms should be placed in plastic bags with alcohol, vinegar, or salt and frozen. The big thing is to freeze them before disposal.”

The hammerhead worm is one of many invasive species to infiltrate the Washington area in recent years. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/13/spotted-laternfly-invasive-trees-midatlantic/" target="_blank">Spotted lantern flies</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/05/15/its-snakehead-weather-a-good-day-of-fishing-on-the-potomac-river-photos/" target="_blank">snakeheads</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/10/08/its-stink-bug-season-again-how-bad-are-they-where-you-live-poll/" target="_blank">stink bugs</a>, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/11/10/asian-lady-beetles-ladybugs-dc/" target="_blank">Asian lady beetles</a> are just a few introduced critters that have caught the attention of locals. Report any sightings to your local county authorities or department of agriculture.

Author’s note: Since the dreadful worm discovery on July 8, I have hunted hammerheads in the yard every morning, armed with a salt shaker, stick and plastic bag. On average, five to seven worms are captured per day. But after the rain Wednesday morning, the count was 14. Hopefully, I can reduce their numbers, but I have my doubts. — Kevin Ambrose

Wake Forest University, BS in Chemistry

Boston University, MS in Science Journalism

Kasha Patel writes the weekly Hidden Planet column, which covers scientific topics related to Earth, from our inner core to space storms aimed at our planet. She also covers weather, climate and environment news.

Kasha Patel

Toxin-secreting, invasive hammerhead worms found in D.C. area.

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