New Zealand Flatworm Arthurdendyus triangulatum

Useful background and resources may be found on the SCRI and DEFRA sites.

It is easy to determine if you have the flatworm in your garden.  Place a wooden board or plastic sack weighted with soil on the bare ground of your vegetable patch, and look under it each morning.  The worms will congregate on the soil surface under these.  They are not pretty animals.  The purplish back, oatmeal fringe and underside make them unmistakeable.  They may extend to 12cm (5"), but usually when found under boards or bags they will be curled into a flat spiral.

The flatworm has established in the wider countryside in W Ross, and possibly other places.  If you have cause to look under stones (great places to find woodlice, centipedes, beetles and ants), please keep this in mind.

If found, keep a jar with concentrated solution of table salt handy.  The worms will die instantly if dropped into the solution.  Their presence also dictates that you take precautions against spreading them to new gardens by transferring plants or soil, though they are very efficiently and uncontrollably carried by animals.

Some mild irritation may result from contact with the mucus of the worm if you have sensitive skin.

As the flatworm can have serious effects on the earthworm population, you may wish to learn more about the various species from the OPAL site here and here.  If you are certain that you have identified earthworms accurately to species, please report these as well as the flatworm.

Records may be posted online here.