![]() They generally an inch or two long but can grow up to five inches, according to FWC. The worm appears dark brown to black, with a grey/tan underbelly and a faint stripe down the back. ![]() They pop up in potted plants and moist areas of landscapes, under mulch or in leaf litter. The worms love humidity, so are found in coastal, forest, urban and wetland environments. ![]() Since the fall of 2017, there have already been 22 different confirmed observations in Indian River County since the fall of 2017 and 85 sightings in Miami-Dade County, according to EDDMapS. But the risk is very small and no higher than for many native snails and slugs, according to FWC, and no cases of rat lungworm infection in humans have been confirmed in Florida. The worm also can carry the rat lungworm parasite, which can cause potentially fatal meningitis in humans. This worm also produces toxic secretions that can trigger allergic reactions, so biologists warn not to touch them without gloves or a plastic bag. The New Guinea flatworm is distinguished by its lighter stripe. Odds are most flatworms in most Florida gardens are non-toxic species, according to IFAS. It's a little confusing why people are so excited about the topic," Carli Segelson, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said of recent TV news coverage of the recent worm sighting.Īdult New Guinea flatworms live in pots or on plants and are transported by humans via soil, compost, rooted and potted plants and landscape waste, according to the IFAS write-up on the creature. "This is something that keeps coming up for us. ![]() The EDDMapS website shows the New Guinea flatworm has been reported 34 times in Brevard County and throughout Florida. The worm first popped up in the United States in 2015, in the Miami metro area and Coral Gables, according to a write-up about the species by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). ![]() The site, launched in 2005 by the University of Georgia, helps document the scope of invasive species introductions. Online, Baustert found EDDMapS, a web-based mapping system for documenting invasive species distribution. ![]()
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