Grow Your Own Magazine

Our allotment site has some of these visitors. Do we report this to anybody? Why are they so bad?

I yahoo'd and found this

The New Zealand Flatworm, Artioposthia triangulata, was first sighted in Northern Ireland in 1963 and probably arrived in the root-ball of a plant. It has since spread all over the British Isles, but sightings are still more concentrated in Northern Ireland and Scotland. It lives on earthworms and will greatly reduce their population, sometimes to below detectable levels. Observations in parts of Scotland have shown that in some areas the earthworms are not wiped out and a sort of equilibrium is reached. In some places the flatworms appeared to die out. This is thought to occur in drier regions as the flatworm prefers wet conditions. I have found that they like the damp air pockets in stone-filled drains and hardcore infill. Egg capsules are usually quite numerous in these spots if an area is infested. Althouogh most are just empty cases and may have been carried there by a predator. Unfortunately this could be a way for them to spread in pasture.

Their threat to soil condition and the wildlife which feed on earthworms cannot be overstated, and every means should be employed to prevent their spread and eradicate them if possible. Some pastures in Northern Ireland have become waterlogged due to the loss of the earthworm population. Unfortunately many have been shared between friends as they swap plants.

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/flatworm.htm

and this

What to do now you have found a New Zealand flatworm

Please place the specimen (alive if possible) in a solid container, such as a photographic film container, with some wet moss or kitchen roll and send to one of the following people.




Scotland
Dr Brian Boag
Scottish Crop Research Institute
Invergowrie
Dundee
Telephone: 01382 562731
bboag@scri.sari.ac.uk

Northern Ireland
Mr J.P.Moore
DARDNI
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
Telephone: 01232 255288
paul.j.moore@dardni.gov.uk

England and Wales
Dr Mike Lole
Plant Clinic
ADAS
Woodthorne
Wergs Road
Wolverhampton
WV6 8TQ
Tel: 01902 693305
Fax: 01902 693304
Mike_Lole@adas.co.uk


http://flatworm.csl.gov.uk/gotone.htm

Information will be useful. Now we only have to try and eliminate or control the little .....worms. Anybody any suggestions?

Interesting, I've never seen one but shall be on the look out. Looks quite yuk really, a bit like a pale leech.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

That is a really yukky worm, n these things don't usually gross me out. Good info in what to do should i ever be unfortunate enough to find one, cheers Dragonz

Once seen a program on telly where one of these 'vampires' just engulfed a garden worm and sucked its guts out! Definately need reporting if found!

Anyone on the vine had much to do with them I wonder? Please wait til I finish my dinner before elaborating though! Yuk!!!!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

ewwww! those pics have given me the shivers. Your'e right Eartbabe, they do look like a pale leech. I read the info on the link, but does anybody know just how widespread they are yet?

Kirsty