'Crazy' Jumping Worms Are Invading North America & They Could Ruin Your Gardening Plans
Go ahead and jump! 🎸🪱
Someone gardening.
An invasive species of jumping worm is leaping and wriggling its way into North American gardens, and it sounds like they could be a real pain this summer.
The Asian jumping worm looks like your typical worm except for its distinctive white collar, but experts say it’s a much bigger threat to people’s gardens — and it’s been steadily spreading through the U.S. and Canada.
So why should we care?
Aside from freaking out and actually flailing around when they’re disturbed, these things can ruin the soil and tip the ecosystem out of balance around your house, according to the Invasive Species Centre in Canada.
Sightings of these white-collared worms have been reported across the northern United States and in southern Canada, and many universities and government agencies warn that they could really become a problem.
They’re pretty easy to spot from the way they move — and no, they don’t actually jump. "They can move across the ground in an 'S' pattern like a snake," a report on the University of Minnesota's website.
It’s hard to miss them, based on the videos that have been circulating online.
The worms hang out near the top of the soil and feast on fallen leaves and debris, according to Jody Green, extension educator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. All that feasting gets rid of the ground cover, exposing the soil and leaving it open to erosion and rain. They also coat the ground with their poop, and unlike earthworms, these things leave coffee ground-like chunks that do nothing to help the soil.
In other words, they ruin the top layer of dirt and leave their poop everywhere, which makes it a nightmare for anyone trying to plant a garden this year.
Videos of the little jumpers have been popping up on TikTok, warning people of their danger.
@idiot_chickens If you want to learn more about these worms, let me know! i have more content to show including our collaboration w/ Cornell #fyp #forestry #ecology
Some have even shown comparisons to your "typical" earthworm.
@spamelaandersen TW (Trigger Warning): worm self-inflicted violence #garden #gardening #gardening101
The worms emerge in the spring and typically do the most damage during the summer, and they’re considered a threat because of how much they eat.
Researchers at Cornell University believe that the worms came from Asia in the 19th century, but they still know very little compared to the more common European earthworm.
Experts say the best thing to do is just to kill them when you see them because there aren’t any pesticides to specifically target them.
One easy way to spot them is to mix ⅓ cup of mustard seed with 4.5 litres of water, then pour it onto the soil, according to the Invasive Species Centre. The worms will get annoyed by this and wriggle to the surface, so be prepared.
If you want to get rid of them you can simply grab them from the soil, put them in a plastic bag and leave them in the sun for about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can freeze them, place them in isopropyl alcohol or simply use a boot if you’re not into those supervillain-like tactics.
Happy gardening!