Ammon News - A creepy-crawly invasive species known as the hammerhead worm is reappearing in Texas, following several weeks of excessive rainfall.

The hammerhead worm, a ground-dwelling flatworm, is lethal to earthworms, which are responsible for distributing oxygen, draining water and creating space for plant roots. Hammerhead worms tend to stay out of the sunlight, hidden from plain sight, but the extra rain has "flushed out" the wriggly creatures, Ashley Morgan-Olvera, Texas Invasive Species Institute director of research and education outreach, told USA TODAY.

Hammerhead worms have been reported throughout Texas for decades, but more recently, they have been spotted in the Houston area, Morgan-Olvera said. The worms have also been seen in Dallas, Austin and toward the coast.

While hammerhead worms are not a direct threat to humans or household pets, their predatory nature can have a lasting effect on a local ecosystem.