“Flat worms” - am I going mad??

[AddisonM]

“Kill the flatworms” was a thing - wasn’t it?! Oh the late 90s, maybe early 00s??

I have this random memory of blue Peter or newsround telling us to kill the flatworms. Something to do with them decimating our earthworm population maybe? This popped into my head tonight I was thinking no way would they run that campaign now!

Asked my husband and sisters if they remember it but they all responded along the lines of

This happened...right?

They are a serious pest and kill our native earthworms. If you find them you’re supposed to kill them. It seems a bit morbid for a kids programme to discuss it though!

I remember that episode of Blue Peter. They got covered on Newsround, too.

I remember. Bleurgh. Hated seeing them on screen and still shudder at the thought! (I don't mind 'normal' worms so much...)

Oddly, the memory of watching Blue Peter's program about flatworms popped into my head about a week ago when I was in the garden... telepathy?!

Hurrah! I knew it was real!

Poppins how strange!!

Yes, they were invasive New Zealand flat worms and, as they killed and?ate our worms, it was a serious issue. We need our worms to aerate the soils and to help to compost down our leaves and grass. However so far, as a gardener, I don't think I've seen any.

Thank you for reminding me of a childhood nightmare!

Yes 🤣 does anyone else remember quicksand being a big concern too?

I thought they were Spanish worms! Seem to remember lumping it in with my mother being violently against Spanish strawberries and South African apples. That was your 70s activism!! :o :o