Mollusc-eating Hammerhead Worm (Bipalium vagum)

My son and I saw this worm on our sidewalk after an early evening rain. I just recently bought four containers of lavender from Lowe's. I've never seen anything like this before and contacted the Extension Agency for our county. They didn't take a report.

We found one of these worms the other day in our yard, since then I have found about 15 in my courtyard after I water. I cant find much info on it except that they eat earthworms. I want to know how to kill it, how long they live, ext.

This worm is frequently mistaken for B. kewense, which eats mainly earthworms:

Creation Wiki:
http://creationwiki.org/File:Land_planarian.jpg

University of Florida Dept of Entomology:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians.htm
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN20600.pdf

Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipalium_kewense

Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpilla001/3740477302/

WhatsThatBug:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/arrow...

Vagum is thought to consume molluscs. I have one in a jar now (8/20/2010) with a small snail ... will see.

The following link connects to a paper about the differences between the three most common broadhead planarians now found in North America. It includes a figure showing the color pattern differences among their heads.

http://faculty.kutztown.edu/butler/ducey2007.pdf

If that doesn't work, the article was published in the Southeastern Naturalist 6:449-460 in 2007.

I just found my first hammerhead worm underneath a self watering flower pot on the edge of my herb bed. I do not think I like the looks of this worm. I certainly don't want this worm to eat my beneficial earthworms!
I read the University of Florida report about this worm and I am not encouraged. It appears that these imports are probably getting around in potted plants we buy at our garden shops! which are carried from the greenhouses. Gee, thanks Burpee! and/or Bonnie Bell!
I think the next time I find one, I will put it in a jar of alcohol. I do not want to encourage this worm to grow and get into my vegetable garden; or my herb beds.
I think I like my friendly earthworms better!

I found this flatworm in my garden in Bangkok