Found this glossy pink worm in the damp soil, and it just ejected a weird white branching web from its mouth. It looks like an alien symbiote. Is it dangerous?

5. What The Web Is Actually Hunting (And How It Catches Prey)
Ribbon worms primarily hunt small invertebrates, such as crustaceans, mollusks, and other worms. They are ambush predators that rely on their proboscis to capture prey quickly. When a suitable target comes within range, the worm rapidly everts its proboscis, which can extend several times the length of its body.
The proboscis is often sticky or armed with toxins, allowing it to adhere to or immobilize the prey. Once captured, the prey is drawn back towards the worm’s mouth, where it is consumed. This efficient hunting mechanism allows ribbon worms to thrive in a variety of environments, from shallow tidal pools to deep ocean trenches.
6. How To Tell A Ribbon Worm From Earthworms And Other Look-Alikes
Ribbon worms can be distinguished from earthworms and other similar creatures by their appearance and behavior. Ribbon worms tend to be flatter and more vibrantly colored than earthworms, which are typically brown or reddish. The glossiness of a ribbon worm’s body is another distinguishing feature, as earthworms are generally less shiny.
Behaviorally, the rapid eversion of the proboscis is a key characteristic of ribbon worms. Earthworms, on the other hand, do not have a proboscis and move by peristaltic contractions of their body segments. Observing these traits can help you accurately identify the worm you have found.
7. Where These Worms Live And Why They Show Up In Your Yard

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My 9-year-old daughter baked 300 Easter cookies for the homeless — the next morning, a stranger showed up at our door with a briefcase full of cash. My daughter, Ashley, has always had a heart too big for her chest. Since my wife died, we’ve barely been making ends meet. We spent everything we had trying to save her from cancer. But when Easter came this year, Ashley told me she’d been saving up her own money to buy ingredients. “For the homeless,” she said. Her mom used to be one of them. She was thrown out by her parents when they found out she was pregnant with Ashley. When I met her, she had nothing — but she had the brightest smile and the sharpest mind I had ever seen. I fell in love with her. I took her and Ashley in. And from that moment on, Ashley became my daughter in every way that matters. So when Ashley said she wanted to help people like her mom once was… I didn’t stop her. For three nights straight, after school and homework, she baked. Her little hands worked nonstop. She found her mom’s old cookie recipe. She rolled every piece of dough herself. She decorated every cookie. She made three hundred cookies. On Easter, she handed them out one by one. She looked people in the eyes. She wished them a Happy Easter. Some of them smiled. Some of them cried. I stood there thinking it was the proudest moment of my life. I thought that was the end of it. The next morning, I was washing a mountain of dishes when the doorbell rang. I opened the door. An older man stood there in a worn-out suit, holding a scratched aluminum briefcase. His eyes were locked on Ashley. Before I could ask anything, he set the case down and opened it. I froze. Stacks of hundred-dollar bills — more money than I had ever seen in my life. “I saw what your daughter did yesterday,” he said, his voice shaking. “I want to give all of this to her.” My heart skipped. Then he added: “But you have to agree to ONE CONDITION.” My chest tightened. “What condition?” I asked. He stepped closer. He lowered his voice. And what he asked for in return made my blood run cold.