22/04/2022
Attention, spring gardeners! Be on the lookout for invasive jumping worms this spring, and report your findings to NY iMapInvasives at https://www.nyimapinvasives.org/.
While most earthworms in the Northeastern United States are non-native, invasive jumping worms are particularly destructive to soil, and because they are a newer invasive species, DEC and partners are tracking their distribution across the state. Jumping worms likely first arrived in North America in the 1800s by being transported in the soil of potted plants. They are spread by moving potted plants, soil, compost, mulch, and fishing bait.
You can check your yard for these worms by using a mustard mixture that won’t harm your plants. Mix a gallon of water with 1/3 cup of ground yellow mustard seed and pour slowly into the soil. This will drive any worms to the surface. You can ID jumping worms by their milky-white collar that is flush with their bodies and near the head. They tend to be surrounded by dark soil that resembles coffee grounds, and they are found closer to the top layer of soil than other similar worms. They wriggle rapidly when handled.
Please report findings of invasive jumping worms to https://www.nyimapinvasives.org/, where experts can confirm identification. If you have a small population of invasive jumping worms, you can bag them and throw them in the trash; or place them in a black plastic bag and leave out in the sun for at least 10 minutes, then throw the bag away. Take extra care to not spread these worms to new areas of your yard. Work in infested areas last, and always clean your tools and shoes afterwards.
More information on this invasive can be found at https://extension.psu.edu/look-out-for-jumping-earthworms
A Homeowner’s Guide to Jumping Worms is available at https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/103692
Photo by Susan Day, UW Madison Arboretum
