Invasive, toxic hammerhead worm spreading across Tennessee: 'I stopped counting at 30'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — An invasive and toxic worm is rearing its ugly head across Tennessee. 

The hammerhead worm is native to Southeast Asia. Over time, they have become more prevalent in our state, especially during hot/humid months and after rainstorms.  

One area that has seen them in excess lately is Coffee County.

“We had torrential rain. We have a hot tub in the backyard and it’s surrounded by rock and they don’t like water. So they were climbing up on the privacy fence,” detailed Brenda Kingery, a Manchester resident. “And I know what they look like. I went inside and I got the vinegar or the salt, whatever else I could grab a hold that would kill them.” 

“I stopped counting at 30 (worms),” Kingery added. “ And it was in a small spot.” 

Kingery didn’t ask for it, but she’s become somewhat of an expert on these worms after the first one appeared in her garden last year. 

“That’s when I found out how bad they were,” Kingery said. “And it was just kind of scary because I have three dogs, I have a grandson, and we can’t go run out in the yard barefoot (anymore).” 

Kingery couldn’t even guess how many of these hammerheads she’s seen at this point. She’s at least learned an effective and cleaner way to kill them. 

“I did find out that Neem Oil will take care of them, and at least that’s not toxic to my dogs. I have a bottle ready to spray that sits on my patio,” Kingery told News 2. 

“I never thought I would actually see one of these in person. And I’ve heard about the risks and the dangers about them,” said Scott Scarborough, another Manchester resident who has found a handful of hammerhead worms in his backyard. 

Scarborough has a flower garden in his backyard, along with a compost pile. He said he found his hammerheads underneath objects that had been lying on his grass for awhile. 

He posted a photo of one of the worms he found onto a Manchester community Facebook page, which quickly gathered more attention to their presence. 

“I wanted to warn the community because we are a small town. Hey, these are being cited. Be on the lookout. Keep your pets safe,” said Scarborough. “I found at least 6 or 7 that day. You can always contact your pest control service. I actually talked to mine today. Some of them do have treatment options for the hammerhead worm (and mine did).” 

Hammerheads secrete a toxin that can irritate your skin, so don’t try grabbing them barehanded. 

Put them safely into a Ziploc bag and douse them with salt, vinegar, or rubbing alcohol to kill them, then dump the bag into the garbage. 

Another good and wild tip from experts: don’t try chopping up a hammerhead worm. They can regenerate, so if you cut them into pieces, you’re actually just making more of them. 

For more information about these worms, click here.

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