All About Jumping Worms
As gardeners, we often hear about invasive plants. But another invasive has made its way to Rhode Island - jumping worms.
I grew up thinking that worms were a gardener’s best friend, aerating and enriching the soil. I was shocked when I first learned that worms are actually not native to North America. Before the Ice Age, worms were endemic on the continent, but were wiped out by the glaciers and cold climate.
I grew up thinking that worms were a gardener’s best friend, aerating and enriching the soil.
Then, as settlers colonized North America, worms were reintroduced and have been changing the ecosystem ever since. While some types of earthworms may appear helpful in a garden setting, and red wigglers are great for making rich compost, worms become more problematic in a wild setting. The layers of fallen leaves and organic matter that cover a forest floor, called leaf litter, provide essential ecosystem functions. The leaf litter provides habitat for frogs, salamanders, and countless insects. It also is packed with nutrients that enrich the soil as they decompose.
Enter the worms. Leaf litter is a food source for them, and they can quickly deplete it, leaving many small animals without shelter, and thereby decreasing biodiversity. Jumping Worms are the worst offenders. While most worms live deeper in the soil, jumping worms live on the very top layer and in the leaf litter itself. As they eat and defecate, they deplete the soil of its nutrients, leaving behind soil that looks granular like coffee grounds or ground beef. They change the very makeup and texture of the soil. This makes it difficult for plants to stay rooted, in both forested and garden settings. And when decaying organic matter runs out, these worms can start eating the roots of plants themselves, causing further damage.
As their name suggests, jumping worms wiggle violently when disturbed. They move across the ground in an “S” pattern, similar to a snake, and they can be 1.5 to over 8 inches in length! Jumping worms live for only one season, but their eggs are dormant under the soil now and hatch in the late spring.
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to manage or control jumping worms, besides disposing of them manually when you find them. Throw them away in sealed trash bags. Prevention is the best method we have - do not share plants if you know you have an infestation, brush soil from your shoes and clothes before heading into nature (eggs can be transported through the soil), and report suspected infestations.
