Sus Worms and Sketchy Plants Invading Your Yard? 🚩

The Deets

Okay, listen up, 'cause this is kinda important. There's some major sus activity happening in gardens and yards, and it's not the good kind. We're talkin' invasive species that are straight-up toxic. First up, we got hammerhead worms. These bad boys are from Southeast Asia and they're now creeping around Ontario, including the GTA. They're like, 10 cm long, multicolored, and have zero chill, no cap.

Why are they sus? They spit a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. If you touch one, you might get skin and eye irritation. And if your pet eats one? Major L. They could get seriously sick. So, like, don't touch them. If you do, wash your hands ASAP. These worms are spreading 'cause of us, mostly. When we move soil around, we're basically giving them a free ride. So keep your soil local and don't dump it in the woods, fr fr.

But wait, there's more! Across the border in the northern US and even in Canada, there's a plant called Siberian squill. It's a poisonous plant from Russia that's invading gardens. It's got electric blue, bell-shaped flowers and it's kinda cute, but don't be fooled. The whole plant is toxic, and it can mess up your pets (dogs and cats) if they eat it or even touch it. We're talkin' vomiting, diarrhea, the whole shebang. So, if you see this plant in your yard, you gotta take action.

The move? Cut off the flowers before they make seeds. Then dig up the whole plant, bulbs and all. And pack down the soil to make sure it doesn't come back. Wanna keep your garden aesthetic? Plant some safer, native stuff like Virginia bluebells or trillium. These invasive species are messing with the natural balance, so we gotta do our part to keep our green spaces thriving. If you spot either of these invaders, hit up the provincial invasive species hotline or report it through the Invasive Species in Ontario project. Let's keep each other safe, fam!