Hi Donna,

Thank you for your inquiry about jumping worms. Let me provide some general information and then answer your specific question.

There is a new, destructive group of earthworms invading Vermont forests and gardens (Amynthas agrestis, Amynthas tokioensis and Metaphire hilgendorfi). These worms are commonly known as jumping worms, snake worms or Asian worms. They damage the soil food web by living in and consuming the top organic layer in our garden soil.

To the untrained eye, they can be difficult to distinguish from the common European garden worm, especially during the first half of the gardening season when they are immature. The easiest identifying characteristic is how aggressive and active they are. When touched or disturbed, the worm flails or jumps. Because they live near the soil surface, jumping worms may have more pigment than other worms, usually reddish but can often appear somewhat brownish or purplish with some iridescence. During the latter half of our growing season (July to October), the mature jumping worm has a white ring (clitellum) that completely surrounds the body, unlike the European garden worm’s u-shaped clitellum that does not surround the body.

Here are some links to fact sheets that provide additional information.

Vermont Invasives Web Site: https://www.vtinvasives.org/invasive/jumping-worms

UVM Master Gardener Web Site’s Gardening Resources: (Open the “Invasives” section)

https://www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener/gardening-resources

This link includes:

- A two-page Cornell brochure designed for homeowners

- Dr. Josef Gorres' Intro to Snakeworms powerpoint presentation

- Plant Sale (and other gardener exchange) guidelines to minimize jumping worm spread

- U Minnesota:

https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/jumping-worms#frequently-asked-questions-about-jumping-worms-1883163

Unfortunately, no viable control methods have yet been identified. However, we can work to limit the spread of these worms. Even if you have jumping worms in one part of your property, it doesn't mean they are everywhere. We recommend the following steps:

- Minimize movement of horticultural materials, such as soil, leaf litter, compost and mulch

- Inspect all nursery species before planting for the presence of worms or signs, such as their characteristic castings (described as gravel-like or like loose coffee grounds).

- Buy local and talk to your garden center reps about the jumping worm risk - see what they are doing to minimize exposure.

- Propagate via seeds and stem cuttings whenever possible (rather than plant division or root cuttings)

- If you buy potted plants or get them from a plant exchange, you should remove them from the pot, knock the soil off into the trash and wash the roots to eliminate any egg cocoons.

- Since the worms live near the soil surface, egg cocoons can also be transported via ATV wheels, logging and gardening equipment, and boot treads. You should brush off boots or shoes and wash gardening tools if you have been in an area that might be affected by these jumping worms. -

- Eliminate fishing bait refuse

The soil that you collected needs to be solarized by leaving the bags in the sun for a week or two.  If you haven't moistened it, you may want to do that.  Please refer to Dr. Gorres' powerpoint presentation Physical Measures II section as listed above in the links.  The trick here is to heat the soil to at least 100 degrees since the worms/cocoons cannot tolerate the heat and will die.

To dispose of garden waste (weeds, pulled grass clumps, surface moss, etc.) without spreading worms or cocoons further, a commercial composting facility that uses “hot composting” is your best bet. Green Mountain Compost in Chittenden County accepts infected garden waste (not soil). At this facility, compost piles must reach over 131 degrees F for 3 consecutive days and often reach much higher temperatures. They believe that the current research shows that the egg cocoons perish after 3 days at 100 degrees.

Thank you for your efforts to help slow the spread of invasive jumping worms while work is underway to find an effective management solution.

Melanie

www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener

No endorsement of products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned. Any chemical recommendations in resources included should be used for informational purposes only as these chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont.