I’ve been invaded

[TorontoJoe]

I can't remember now what it was I threw in the chicken pen they wouldn't eat...

I have seen them eat anything from frogs to acorns to other chickens...but there was a bug or something I threw in that they just left alone.

Apparently they won’t eat Lubbers. I’m not sure anything will

 

[GoodFriendMike]

I wonder if chickens would eat them, they'll usually eat anything. if the chickens don't eat them that's a good indication they are bad.

When it is termite swarming season. I put a light in the chicken coop. The termites swarm to it and the chickens eat them. Win win. Do you have chickens?

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

When it is termite swarming season. I put a light in the chicken coop. The termites swarm to it and the chickens eat them. Win win. Do you have chickens?

No chickens.

 

[GoodFriendMike]

No chickens.

You should get a couple.

 

[FruitBrute]

Just saw on the local nightly news on Saturday that they are present in my area now.

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

Just saw on the local nightly news on Saturday that they are present in my area now.

Wow! So not just spreading north and south but also east and west. Shows importance of removing their favorite tree, the “ tree of heaven”, also not native to US.

 

[FruitBrute]

Wow! So not just spreading north and south but also east and west. Shows importance of removing their favorite tree, the “ tree of heaven”, also not native to US.

tree of heaven has populated here as well, unfortunately.

 

[snarfing]

yeah regrettably removing tree of heaven seems like a near impossibility (though we should certainly TRY).

none the less im tellin y'all theyre roughly 1/10th this year. even the number of nymphs was a lot lower. We'll see if this holds year to year...

I do remain that vacuuming them into a dust buster or shop vac is the easiest way to deal with them. theyre too jumpy for much else

 

[cdh]

We do have those here.
I first seen them a few years ago.

Hammerhead worms are nasty. Only way to kill them is grab them with tweezers (not your hands!) and smother them in a container of salt. (Epsom salt works fine)

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

Hammerhead worms are nasty. Only way to kill them is grab them with tweezers (not your hands!) and smother them in a container of salt. (Epsom salt works fine)

I’ll have to remember that if I ever see them. Thanks for the tip.

 

[cdh]

I’ll have to remember that if I ever see them. Thanks for the tip.

I'm no expert* but IIRC, if you cut hammerhead worms up, the pieces regrow into more worms, like the proverbial hydra. They have a tetrodotoxin (?) similar to venomous spiders (or frogs? can't remember), so you can't touch them. You could put them in bleach or vinegar or gasoline, or burn them, but salt is probably the easiest option. Be warned, they're revoltingly gelatinous. It's almost amazing that they hold together in the first place. Just super disgusting all-round.

*Evergreen disclaimer

 

[ktrain]

Hammerhead worms are nasty. Only way to kill them is grab them with tweezers (not your hands!) and smother them in a container of salt. (Epsom salt works fine)

Yeah I don't see them often but they are here.
I get rid of them as I find them.

 

[TorontoJoe]

I had to look up what a hammerhead worm is.... I had no idea what they were. Apparently they exist in the Hamilton, Ontario area. Which really sucks because there are a lot of great nurseries out that way.

 

[ZomVee]

I had to look up what a hammerhead worm is.... I had no idea what they were. Apparently they exist in the Hamilton, Ontario area. Which really sucks because there are a lot of great nurseries out that way.

I had no clue either, I looked if my area had any but got an article about Washington DC in 2023, I already knew there were toxic worms in that spot!

 

[cdh]

I had no clue either, I looked if my area had any but got an article about Washington DC in 2023, I already knew there were toxic worms in that spot!

LOLOLOLOL

 

[TorontoJoe]

I had no clue either, I looked if my area had any but got an article about Washington DC in 2023, I already knew there were toxic worms in that spot!

We have strict rules here about the discussion of certain types of long-bodied invertebrates. We thank you for your cooperation

 

[superdave336]

Darn, I looked them up and we have them in NC too. Apparently they’ve been here awhile too.

 

[cdh]

Darn, I looked them up and we have them in NC too. Apparently they’ve been here awhile too.

Yeah. Mine were in the Charlotte area. If you encounter them, eliminate with extreme prejudice.