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Worm ID please?!

michellellewmichellellew Posts: 26
in Problem solving
Can anyone please identify this worm I found in the border? They’re flat, distinctly orangey brown on top and pale underneath, about 2-3 inches long. I’ve looked online but haven’t seen anything this could be, don’t think it’s the dreaded New Zealand flatworm but I’m not sure. They’re in quarantine now til i know whether they’re beneficial to my garden or not! 

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Australian flatworm?
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    It's also possible it could be a leech though https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/tocheta-subviridis
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • michellellewmichellellew Posts: 26
    Ooh thanks, did think it looked leech like but it’s more like the Australian flatworm. Now what’s the best way to dispose of them?!
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    You can just squash them under foot or drop them into boiling hot water but it might be a good idea to check cool, damp areas of the garden to see if there's any more lurking about.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited March 2021
    I remember reading that they love it underneath old compost bags laid flat on the ground and held down with a few large stones.  It might be worth trying to see if they are easier to catch that way.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Anna33Anna33 Posts: 316
    Oh dear! I've seen quite a few of these - a bit smaller than yours - in my garden, but I just thought they were another type of earthworm I'd not come across before. I've seen loads of them as I've been digging out a neglected corner that had been covered in pebbles, however I do thankfully still have lots of earthworms in other parts of the garden.

    I will be double checking the next ones I come across, and if necessary dispatching carefully. I'm glad you posted this!
  • michellellewmichellellew Posts: 26
    Thanks for the comments, definitely Australian flatworm. Don’t like killing things but have put into vinegar, read that they may regenerate if chopped 🤢 and its the best way to get rid of them. I’ll try to find more with weighted compost bag, they have no natural predators apparently and eat our native earthworms so will keep a vinegar bath handy!
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