They could (unfortunately) return. Toxic hammerhead flatworms pose a possible issue to the Houston area with the recent heavy rain which could cause the creepy crawly creatures to come out from hiding.
It’s been a tough few months across the Houston metro between a deadly derecho, historic river flooding in May, and Hurricane Beryl in July, and now residents have one more thing to potentially worry about due to the excessive precipitation – invasive worms.Enter the hammerhead flatworm, named for its – you guessed it – head that’s shaped like a hammerhead shark but rounded.
"They live where earthworms live, so with the heavy rains, they tend to get flushed out," said Ashley Morgan-Olvera, the research director at the Texas Invasive Species Institute in a FOX Weather interview in 2023.Here's where the problem lies, though.The chemicals they secrete through their skin to aid in the digestion of earthworms are toxic. If humans or pets come into contact with that chemical, it can cause skin irritation and even health issues if it is consumed.
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