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Invasive jumping worms now found in at least 11 Iowa counties

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
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An invasive earthworm native to east Asia that was discovered in Iowa in 2018 has now spread to at least 11 counties.

Officials in Dubuque and Muscatine counties were the first to report finding jumping worms, which are also known as crazy worms or Alabama jumpers due to their vigorous writhing and wriggling when disturbed.

The snake-like worms can grow up to eight inches (20 centimeters) long and are found amid leaf litter and closer to the soil surface than other earthworms commonly seen in Iowa.

A map released in April by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach showed that the worms have now been found in Polk and Story counties, as well as Buchanan, Clayton, Jefferson, Johnson, Linn, Scott and Winneshiek. The ISU Extension website notes: "We assume jumping worms are much more widely spread than reports indicate."

Jumping worm can be identified by the cloudy-white, circular clitellum surrounding the entire circumference of the body. This band is flat on the jumping worm, while it is raised on other worms.


ISU Extension said the worms, which have been infiltrating U.S. soil since the late 1800s, according to USA TODAY, likely arrived in North America in potted plants, nursery stock or soil. They were found in Minnesota as early as 2006, confirmed in Wisconsin in 2013 and Illinois in 2015.

What do jumping worms look like?​

They're typically between 3 to 5 inches long but are known to grow up to 8 inches. Jumping worms are darker and smoother than earthworms commonly found in Iowa.

 
Seems like they are just worms that wiggle more, so what's the big deal? II have also noticed the past couple of years tons more worms dead on my driveway after a storm than in the past.
 
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