Jumping Worms Join Chicago's Already Strange Insect Scene

CHICAGO — The University of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are recruiting residents in a fight against the slimiest adversary yet — the "jumping worm."

Jumping worms (Amynthas spp.) go by many different names: crazy worms, Alabama jumpers, snake worms. But to scientists, Amynthas spp. is a highly invasive species of worm that is slowly claiming parts of the Midwest as a feeding ground.

These worms may not seem all that different from the ones sprawled on sidewalks or flowerbeds each year, but a few key characteristics differentiate them from the helpful, lazy earthworms Illinois is used to.

Most earthworms work the ground vertically, which means they aid in mixing the soil from top to bottom and create tiny holes that aerate the earth and get rainwater deeper into the dirt. Jumping worms work through the ground in a horizontal way, never leaving the topsoil. When they stay within the first few inches of earth, these worms eat away at the most important nutrients and other insects that keep the soil healthy.

Jumping worm-ridden soil doesn't just mean you'll have to replant — it could mean nothing will ever grow in that patch of dirt again, according to researchers at the University of Illinois. For this reason, many scientists are worried about what these worms could do to some of Illinois' already struggling forests.

In addition, they're difficult to get out. Their energetic nickname comes from the way they move once caught; according to Newsweek, they "violently thrash" when handled. At about 4 to 8 inches long, jumping worms thrash like a snake when threatened. According to Chris Evans, a University of Illinois Extension Service forester who is tracking the invasion, some people think they've seen a small snake when first encountering jumping worms.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison were the first to spot the worms, which are originally from Asia, in the Midwest in 2013. The best guess so far as to how they worked their way West is that people brought them to the United States to use as fishing bait.

Jumping worms are far more common on the East and West coasts, but many researchers thought their appearance in the Midwest was only a matter of time. Nicole Flowers-Kimmerle, an agriculture and natural resources educator, wrote in an email that prevention is key to slowing the spread.

Jumping worms don't have what it takes to survive a chilly Chicago winter, but their egg casings act like a down jacket and keep the babies alive through cold weather. Some home remedies recommend pouring a mustard mixture over your garden to see if worms are present, but Flowers-Kimmerle outlined some tips for those who want to be proactive.

• Clean tools, shoes and any other gardening equipment when moving from one gardening spot to another.
• Only purchase compost, mulch or other organic matter that has been heated to appropriate temperatures. Jumping worm egg casings do not survive temperatures over 104 degrees.
• To remove adult jumping worms, pluck them out of the soil and place in a plastic bag in the sun.
• Remove soil from all plants before transporting them.
• Buy bare-root plants whenever possible.
• Don't buy jumping worms for bait, composting or gardens.