A rainy day in Dallas brought more than puddles to neighborhood sidewalks.
It also brought invasive hammerhead flatworms into view — and inspired one local bug guy to offer parents an unusual suggestion: Turn spotting flatworms into a supervised lesson for kids.
In a short video shared to r/Dallas, BricesBugs told viewers that wet weather is a good time for "planarian hunting" because rain draws hammerhead flatworms out of hiding.
In the clip, the creator said the "only thing that stops them" is a "stump and grind motion."
He also included more detailed instructions in the post, writing that the recommended method is to put the worms "in a bag of salt and freeze them for 24-48 hours."
He added that crushing them can work "in a pinch" as long as "no segments remain intact."
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He encouraged parents to explain to children that this is not about harming every creepy-crawly in the yard, but, as he wrote, it's about dealing with an invasive species that is "actively causing problems" in our ecosystems.
(Click here if the embedded video does not appear.)
Invasive species can make it harder for neighborhoods to maintain healthier, more balanced outdoor spaces.
When non-native species spread without natural predators, they can strain existing ecosystems and disrupt the organisms people want in their gardens and green spaces.
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The issue is practical, too. These worms tend to show up where people walk, garden, and let kids or pets play after rain.
Several commenters warned that the worms' slime can be irritating and that children should not handle them casually or touch their mouths afterward.
Residents are seeing these worms often enough that some now carry salt and plastic bags when they are outside.
The post also warned against cutting a hammerhead flatworm into pieces. Leaving intact segments behind could allow part of the worm to survive.
Parents who decide to involve kids should treat it as a closely supervised activity rather than free play. They should keep children from touching their faces, have them wash thoroughly afterward, and keep pets away.
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