We just heard from a reader who found an interesting creature on their porch and would like to know what it is. The photo displays a long brown worm with a dark triangle-shaped head.

We are confident that our reader has found a Bipalium. These are a genus of terrestrial flatworms that are often referred to as hammerhead worms. These predatory worms are considered invasive to the United States and prey on earthworms as well as other creatures. Hammerhead worms use their strong muscles and sticky secretions to keep their prey from escaping during an attack. Hammerheads live in soil, where they can find the moist environment they need for survival. Hammerhead worms aren’t dangerous to humans or pets, only earthworms.

To conclude, a reader discovered a hammerhead worm on their porch.

• 
•