Jumping worms now found in Polk, Story counties in Iowa

An invasive earthworm native to east Asia that was found in Iowa in 2018 has now unfold to a minimum of 11 counties. 

Officers in Dubuque and Muscatine counties had been the primary to report discovering leaping worms, that are often known as loopy worms or Alabama jumpers attributable to their vigorous writhing and wriggling when disturbed.

The snake-like worms can develop as much as eight inches (20 centimeters) lengthy and are discovered amid leaf litter and nearer to the soil floor than different earthworms generally seen in Iowa.

A map launched in April by Iowa State College Extension and Outreach confirmed that the worms have now been present in Polk and Story counties, in addition to Buchanan, Clayton, Jefferson, Johnson, Linn, Scott and Winneshiek. The ISU Extension web site notes: “We assume leaping worms are way more broadly unfold than reviews point out.”

ISU Extension stated the worms, which have been infiltrating U.S. soil for the reason that late 1800s, in line with USA TODAY, seemingly arrived in North America in potted vegetation, nursery inventory or soil. They had been present in Minnesota as early as 2006, confirmed in Wisconsin in 2013 and Illinois in 2015.

What do leaping worms seem like?

They’re sometimes between 3 to five inches lengthy however are recognized to develop as much as 8 inches. Leaping worms are darker and smoother than earthworms generally present in Iowa.

Identifiable traits of the leaping worm embody a cloudy-white and clean slender band, whereas that band is raised on different earthworms. They don’t produce an exterior layer of slime, not like different earthworms.

Lifespan of leaping worms

Leaping worms are asexual and reproduce parthenogenetically, which implies they reproduce on their very own with out mating, within the fall utilizing cocoons that survive by the winter and hatch within the spring.

Leaping worms attain full maturity in 60 days after hatching. Not like extra widespread earthworms, they can’t tolerate chilly temperatures, and so they die every winter.

What sort of injury can leaping worms do?

Whereas the complete ecological influence of leaping worms just isn’t totally recognized, USA TODAY reviews, analysis suggests they will considerably alter the soil construction in an infested space — and probably all that grows there.

They’re sometimes present in giant groupings and capable of eat soil and leaf litter at a sooner charge than different earthworms; they will destroy the highest layer of soil that vegetation and different organisms rely on for vitamins.

Soils the place leaping worms are current will likely be grainy and have the feel and look of espresso grounds or cooked floor beef, and will likely be topic to compaction, elevated water runoff and erosion.

What must you do should you discover an infestation?

Sadly, there’s little you are able to do to utterly rid property of leaping worms as soon as they arrive, though researchers on the College of Wisconsin-Madison decided in 2019 that warmth can kill their cocoons and consultants from Cornell College’s Cooperative Extension in New York say a cocktail of yellow mustard seed and water brings the worms to the floor and permits for disposal.

As an alternative, you must consider not serving to them unfold. ISU Extension says to watch soil, compost and vegetation for indicators of infestation, and by no means transfer compost, mulch and/or topsoil from probably infested areas. You also needs to completely clear objects which will have are available in contact with infested soil, together with sneakers, instruments and autos.