Jumping worms spreading throughout Illinois, confirmed in southern counties

WSIL TV ^ | 15 April 2021 | 3 News

[DUMBGRUNT]

How to spot them

They have a dark, metallic body that is darker on top than the bottom. A characteristic smooth milky, white band called the clitellum completely encircles the worm's body, unlike other earthworms with a pink, raised band. When handled, these worms will "jump" and thrash wildly. They move quickly in a snakelike manner and can shed their tails when threatened.

Management

There are currently no viable control measures for jumping worms. Removing adult jumping worms to decrease the number of egg casings produced is the best control available at this time. Adults placed in plastic bags and left in the sun die quickly. Dispose of the bag in the trash.

[S.O.S121.500]

On par as the deadly dihydrogen monoxide.

[Salamander]

LOL

[GOPJ]

Damage Jumping worms are voracious eaters, which causes them to grow twice as fast as other earthworms. This feeding changes the soil structure, altering the soil's water holding capacity and depletes the amount of nutrients available to plants. They also damage roots severely, causing weaker plants that are more susceptible to pests, drought, and disease.

Our original worms were just fine... now we have diversity of worms...

[Sacajaweau]

sounds like maybe you gave to burn’em out.

[metmom]

It’s my understanding that vinegar can kill them.

I have seen them on my property in NH and my plan when gardening is to have a squirt bottle with vinegar in it and squirt the little devils.

I read where a one to one mix with water is enough, but I’ll just go for broke and use the stuff straight.

[enduserindy]

Maybe we can create a retrovirus to reprogram killer hornets?

[knarf]

[PIF]

actually, they are quite small ... maybe the size of you little finger nail.

[Verginius Rufus]

This alarmism about Asian worms sounds like another example of anti-Asian bias.

[moovova]

“”These worms are known to change the soil structure, deplete available nutrients, damage plant roots, and alter water-holding capacity of the soil.”

When they reach California...they’ll become a protected species.

[Flaming Conservative]

4-8 inches, according to the article.

[oldasrocks]

I think they would make great bait.

[Flaming Conservative]

The reason not to use them for bait, is that they can often escape, and survive, reproduce, and damage the soil in the area.

[Wizdum]

Probably make great fish bait.

[CJ Wolf]

Can’t wait for cicada season. That is some great bait. Gotta get in early though...the fish get there fill.

[CJ Wolf]

Good point.

[PIF]

Worms yes, spiders no - I mentioned jumping spiders which was the subject of the comments.

[the_daug]

garter snakes?

[\/\/ayne]

My Dad grew up on a farm in Montana in the '30s and started driving to school at age 9 in a Model T truck. On the way other kids would hop on; causing an early version of a school bus.

I spent some summers on the farm, saw the hulk of the truck and the ruin of the one-room schoolhouse with a playground of one see-saw.

[\/\/ayne]

whoops, wrong thread!