Originally from southeast Asia, this species has been dispersed by man to more than 50 countries around the world. Bipalium kewense is recognized by its flattened head and longitudinal stripes. It is a slimy animal, well endowed with mucus glands in its skin. It is even capable of hanging from leaves or branches by a string of mucus.
Terrestrial flatworms are predators, and locate their prey through a process called chemosensation.
Eggs are laid in capsules, and hatch as small worms. Like flatworms of biology textbook fame, land planarians can also reproduce by dividing into fragments. They are not harmful to people and make interesting subjects for science fair projects on chemical smell and regeneration. In areas where they have become established, they can be collected on the surface of moist soil, or are sometimes seen on sidewalks after a rain. Although land planarians do not attack plants, they are predators of earthworms, a fact that has raised concerns among some biologists.