jill
July 23rd, 2007, 02:43 PM
This is an ugly beastie which is very active in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but is also found all over the UK. It was originally spotted in Northern Ireland in 1963 and probably came in in the rootball of a plant. The Australian Flatworm is a cousin this species and was first sighted in the Scilly Isles, it seems to be spreading northwards, but is not as virulent as its New Zealand cousin.
They have flat, purple-brown bodies with buff-coloured undersides and edges, pointed at both ends and covered with a sticky slime. When resting they are about 1cm wide by 6cm long,and they extend to about 12cm when they move, but become narrower. They are usually found coiled up encased with slime, under pots, stones, wood or pieces of plastic, where the surface is damp - not crawling about unless disturbed when they head for cover.
The main diet of this worm is earthworms and it greatly reduces the earthworm population, sometimes to below detectable levels. When feeding they lie on top of the earthworm, using their sticky mucous to hold on, while excreting digestive enzymes which liquidise the worm. They then absorb the resultant soup!
They either wait for the earthworms to surface or follow their borrows and other channels in the soil. Species of earthworm which stay near to the surface would appear to be more at risk, but studies have shown that the flatworms prefer the larger species which live deeper down.
Once the food supply decreases they shrink in size and can survive in this state for one or two years until the earthworms return.
New Zealand Flatworms are a great threat to soil conditions and also to the wildlife which feed on earthworms, and every means should be taken to prevent their spread and eradicate them if possible.
There are no approved chemical controls, but Ground and Rove beetle adults and larve are known to prey on the adults.
It has been reported that the maggot of a Tasmanian gnat parasitises the flatworm. They could be a solution to the problem , but much more research is needed to prove that we won't be overrun by gnats instead!
Birds take them as well, but because of their habitat they are rarely exposed to them. The earthworm population can be improved by adding lots of organic matter.
It is possible to trap the flatworms by laying sheets of black polythene, or placing bin-bags of compost around and collecting any which congregate underneath. Great care must be taken as they can be moved to another site accidentally if they cling to a bag or plant pot - farmers are moving them around on the large polythene-wrapped silage bales!
Chopping them up may not be enough to kill them as small pieces do crawl away. So it is best to grind them up between two stones, add to very salty or boiling water, or burn them - better still, all three recourses will make sure they don’t spread. Beware some people react badly to the mucous of the flatworm so wear gloves when handling them.
If you find one of these flatworms, scientists are studying their distribution and may be interested in it. Information of where and how to send the flatworm can be found at the Central Science Laboratory (http://www.flatworm.csl.gov.uk/gotone.htm)information page.
They have flat, purple-brown bodies with buff-coloured undersides and edges, pointed at both ends and covered with a sticky slime. When resting they are about 1cm wide by 6cm long,and they extend to about 12cm when they move, but become narrower. They are usually found coiled up encased with slime, under pots, stones, wood or pieces of plastic, where the surface is damp - not crawling about unless disturbed when they head for cover.
The main diet of this worm is earthworms and it greatly reduces the earthworm population, sometimes to below detectable levels. When feeding they lie on top of the earthworm, using their sticky mucous to hold on, while excreting digestive enzymes which liquidise the worm. They then absorb the resultant soup!
They either wait for the earthworms to surface or follow their borrows and other channels in the soil. Species of earthworm which stay near to the surface would appear to be more at risk, but studies have shown that the flatworms prefer the larger species which live deeper down.
Once the food supply decreases they shrink in size and can survive in this state for one or two years until the earthworms return.
New Zealand Flatworms are a great threat to soil conditions and also to the wildlife which feed on earthworms, and every means should be taken to prevent their spread and eradicate them if possible.
There are no approved chemical controls, but Ground and Rove beetle adults and larve are known to prey on the adults.
It has been reported that the maggot of a Tasmanian gnat parasitises the flatworm. They could be a solution to the problem , but much more research is needed to prove that we won't be overrun by gnats instead!
Birds take them as well, but because of their habitat they are rarely exposed to them. The earthworm population can be improved by adding lots of organic matter.
It is possible to trap the flatworms by laying sheets of black polythene, or placing bin-bags of compost around and collecting any which congregate underneath. Great care must be taken as they can be moved to another site accidentally if they cling to a bag or plant pot - farmers are moving them around on the large polythene-wrapped silage bales!
Chopping them up may not be enough to kill them as small pieces do crawl away. So it is best to grind them up between two stones, add to very salty or boiling water, or burn them - better still, all three recourses will make sure they don’t spread. Beware some people react badly to the mucous of the flatworm so wear gloves when handling them.
If you find one of these flatworms, scientists are studying their distribution and may be interested in it. Information of where and how to send the flatworm can be found at the Central Science Laboratory (http://www.flatworm.csl.gov.uk/gotone.htm)information page.