'Massive' Creature Rarely Seen Above Ground Tries To Enter Motel During Heavy Rain

A man in Australia was shocked to spot a giant creature trying to creep under the closed door of a motel following rain in the region.

Darren Jack spotted the massive earthworm at the Tall Trees Motel in Tamborine Mountain, Queensland on Tuesday morning.

“There’s a massive, massive earthworm trying to get in under the door and it’s trying to constrict itself,” Jack said in a video posted to Facebook. “I’ll show you how big it is. There’s my hand. Unbelievable!” he said as he placed his palm next to the creepy crawler.

These creatures are rarely seen above the ground.

In the video, Jack is seen picking the worm and holding it in front of the camera to show its length. The worm was identified as a digaster longmani.

“All the rain and floods that we’ve had here has just created havoc for all the wildlife and the guests, but at the moment, the guests are all safe inside. And so are the earthworms trying to get in,” he said. "It was trying to escape all the saturated soil just trying to get into shelter.”

Jack, who was surprised by the size of worm, later released the creature into nearby bush.

Digaster longmani are large earthworms recorded at up to 6.6 feet in length with a circumference similar to that of a garden hose, according to the Atlas of Living Australia. These worms live in deep permanent burrows and are “rarely seen” above ground.

They are, however, sometimes spotted above the ground when the soil is displaced or their burrows are flooded during heavy rain.

Most of Southern Queensland has been experiencing heavy rainfall recently, with authorities warning Monday there is “significant risk” for already flooded areas.

“This is a slow-moving weather event with significant rainfall likely overnight,” Tom Tate, mayor of the Gold Coast said, according to the Guardian. “The major creek systems across our city are in full flow so do not attempt to cross them or go near the creek banks and causeways.”

Meanwhile, residents in towns across South East Queensland were on high alert since Tuesday night after emergency services issued fresh flood warnings.