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Poisonous weeds, unique worms emerging in Ohio

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)- Agriculture experts say there are two poisonous weeds popping up across Ohio.

The one is called poison hemlock and the other is wild parsnip. They are different plants but have some similarities.

Experts say Poison Hemlock is not something to mess around with. It produces a toxin sap\, and it can be deadly if any of the plant is ingested. It grows quickly and can grow up to 10 feet high.

Then there’s Wild Parsnip. It’s not nearly as toxic but can still cause blisters on your skin when it’s exposed to light. The biggest difference between the two is the color.

Poison Hemlock and Wild Parsnip

“Even though the leaves look very similar, the colors on the flowers are different. Poison hemlock has a white flower, very similar to what we associate as Queen Anne’s Lace, but wild parsnip is a yellow flower,” said Haley Shoemaker.

Both can be controlled, but the methods are different.

Experts recommend if you do see anything that looks like either wild parsnip or poison hemlock and you’re not familiar with the control methods, then contact the OSU Extension Mahoning County.

Hammerhead worms are not new to our area. They’ve been around for the last 20 years, but they’ve been popping up more and more recently.

They are different than your average earthworm. Earthworms eat things in the soil, like bacteria, fungi and dead leaves. Hammerhead worms eat invertebrates, organisms that are beneficial to the soil. You can freeze them, use salt, use rubbing alcohol, and always use gloves because they do have toxins, and for some people, they can be sensitive to your skin.

“They do secrete a toxin that is basically to dissolve their food so they can consume it in a liquid form, but for some people, this toxin or mucus they secrete can be kind of sensitive to their skin,” said Shoemaker.

Haley says they aren’t going to cause a huge detriment to your soil health or your garden or yard. But she says if you’re noticing a lot of them it’s not going to hurt to start killing them so you’re not letting the population keep growing.