Slimy Jumping Worms Again Wreaking Havoc On Soil, Illinois Gardeners

ILLINOIS — Illinois residents who have gardens are again being asked to keep an eye out for jumping worms, the earthworms that are capable of jumping a foot into the air, but that also strip the soil of its nutrients, making it virtually useless for local gardeners.

Illinois is one of 34 states across the country where these worms have been found and that can cause damage to ground soil, making these slimy creates a detriment unlike other earthworms that are good for the areas where they enhance the soil they wriggle around in, experts said.

In Illinois, the invasive jumping worms — which are also known as Alabama jumpers, Jersey wrigglers, snake worms, and crazy snake worms — have been discovered in more than 40 counties. In the greater Chicago area, jumping worms have been confirmed in Cook, DuPage, McHenry, Kane and Will counties among other locations, according to the University of Illinois.

The non-native worms were first discovered in Illinois in 2015 and are most commonly found in the leaf litter or mulch layer, University of Illinois experts report. They’re also likely found in the 3 to 4 inches of soil in wooded areas, garden beds, and lawns.

Once established, jumping worms can damage plant roots, lawns, or ornamental gardens. Experts said that once the jumping worms have taken up a home in soil, the soil looks more like coffee grounds, which makes for less-than-ideal growing conditions for gardeners,

“This is not a ‘sound the alarm and panic’ situation, but it is one to keep an eye out for and know about,” Illinois Extension forestry research specialist Chris Evans said in a news release last summer. “Jumping worms do not disperse very fast on their own. It is a human-aided spread that can be an issue."

Jumping worms expend a lot of energy, which they fuel by eating everything in their path. That includes leaf litter, the first layer of soil on the forest floor — home not only to many unseen tiny creatures but also an important source of nutrients for plants that need to sprout and grow.

Local experts said that local residents don’t need to worry about finding jumping worms in plants that are purchased from garden centers or nurseries.

If residents do come across these worms in their natural surroundings, agricultural experts suggest that removal is the best option. Birds do not like to eat them as they are too slimy and do not taste good, experts said. Once found, gardeners can place them in a plastic bag, and they will die very quickly, and then throw them out with the trash.

Gardeners can help by using heat-treated commercial compost or mulch as well as cleaning off equipment and shoes, especially if working at multiple garden sites. Gardeners should also not share home compost, mulch, or plants.

Residents are also able to submit a photo of a worm for identification to their local University of Illinois Extension office, which can be found at go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffice.

“If you have jumping worms, these mitigation efforts are needed, along with fertilization and mulching to maintain organic matter for plant health,” Evans said. “Realistically, it is going to be hard to get rid of an active population until research provides better practices to manage them.”