All Worms Are Not Created Equal
By Laura Kourajian
A worm is a worm is a worm, and worm castings are good for soil health. Right?
While that might be true for the European earthworm and night crawlers, the kind we find in North Dakota, it is NOT true for the Asian jumping worm, an invasive species that has been found in several counties in Minnesota, mostly in the southeastern corner of the state and as far west as Stearns County, where the city of St. Cloud is located.
It has not been found in North Dakota, and Charles Elhard, the plant protection officer at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, would like to keep it that way.
According to the University of Minnesota Extension website, the Asian jumping worm lives in leaf litter at the top of the soil. Their castings look like coffee grounds, but are dry and strip the soil of nutrients. As their name implies, they jump, wiggle and are very active when disturbed.
They look like other earthworms, but their clitellum (the collar-like ring) is located about 1/3 the length down on the worm from its head and is cloudy, white and constricted. In addition to jumping and wiggling noticeably, they can move across the ground in an S pattern, much like a snake.
The worms are most likely transported from place to place through plant and soil materials. Elhard said the primary pathway for the worm is people moving soil, fishing bait, compost and mulch between infested areas and North Dakota. Since much of North Dakota’s plant and nursery stock comes through Minnesota, Elhard said gardeners should check for worms in plant materials as they are transplanting plants and nursery stock.
If you believe you have found an Asian jumping worm, please report it to your local county extension agent.
