Knowledgebase

Invasive Worm Species #658129

Asked June 30, 2020, 1:30 PM EDT

I'm noticing soil looking like coffee grounds and worms that fit the description of this horrid worm. Very snake like in their moving when I disturb the soil. Their mouth part looks almost flanged.

Baltimore County Maryland

Expert Response

Your description and photos do sound like Jumping Worm. Here is some information provided by the Maryland Invasive Species Council: http://mdinvasives.org/iotm/nov-2019/ and a fact sheet by Cornell: http://ccetompkins.org/resources/jumping-worm-fact-sheet. Unfortunately, no control recommendations are available except to limit their spread by not moving soils out of contaminated yards/gardens. You could experiment with gardening in raised beds (with a barrier like landscape fabric securely fitted into the base and up the sides) to see if that slows or stops their spread into planted areas that are otherwise intolerant of their soil disturbance.

Miri

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