Spotted this long worm with a flat, shovel-shaped head slithering on the patio stones. It looks totally unnatural. What is this?

It’s not every day you come across a creature so odd it looks like it escaped from a sci-fi story. Yet more and more homeowners are spotting a long, flat worm with a shovel-shaped head sliding across their patios. This unusual animal, called the hammerhead worm, fascinates and unsettles people alike because of its alien appearance and the risks it may pose to local ecosystems.

Hammerhead worms are terrestrial flatworms that have drawn attention for both their strange look and their predatory habits. Native to Southeast Asia, they have spread to other parts of the world, often transported in the soil of imported plants. As they become more common, it’s important to know what they are, how to recognize them, and what steps to take if you find one in your yard.