# Jumping Worm infestation



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Am I the only one dealing with these things?

Check it out at the 17 min mark below:
https://youtu.be/tfEhgpNqOls


----------



## Easyluck (Feb 5, 2019)

All over my yard. Probably 50/50 European and Asian. I also have hammerhead worms.


----------



## Lust4Lawn (Aug 4, 2020)

I never heard of this and I don't recall seeing any worms with a white band. You are not seeing these in January in CT, are you?


----------



## Easyluck (Feb 5, 2019)

European and Asian worms both have a whitish band. The distance between the band and their head is shorter on the Asian worms and they are also skinnier. You'll know when you find one because they wiggle and jump like crazy. My son went through a stage where we dug for worms. We caught hundreds of them last summer.



The article in the video talks about Asian worms depleting the soil of organic matter. My soil has 5.7% organic matter. I'll do another test this year but Im not yet concerned about them.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Lust4Lawn said:


> You are not seeing these in January in CT, are you?


No. I'm actually not seeing any worms right now. The ground is frozen at least a few inches down at the moment and, so it's too cold to see worms. Also, most (all?) "jumping worm" species are apparently annuals that die out in the cold (unlike the regular Earthworm species that survive the Winter). Then new ones hatch in Spring. Someone else in the area saw a chipmunk eat one once, so animals do eat them.

I see them during the season. When I use a blower, they try to escape as they hang out at the surface. At first, I assumed they were regular (good) worms, but they have the white band. The "jumping" worms don't actually jump...they just wiggle really fast. I have a particular area that is infested. And it's a slope with a lot of organic matter in the soil, so they cause problems. For the longest time this past year, I couldn't figure out why the area (which is North facing/shaded) never dried out after Fall rain storms, even a week or two later. Now I know why. When you walk, your feet sink into the lawn because the soil texture is altered. And the slope collapses/erodes faster than it used to. It's bad enough that the shade and dampness, squirrels, freeze/thaw, voles, etc., cause surface issues, without the worms. I need a selective control method, and will be contact research scientists in the bear future for help.

What I've described is what can happen with the soil/lawn, and why it can be an issue.


----------



## Easyluck (Feb 5, 2019)

Green said:


> Lust4Lawn said:
> 
> 
> > You are not seeing these in January in CT, are you?
> ...


When you touch an AJW they wiggle violently, using the muscles in their tail to push their body off the ground.

Are you trying to grow grass on a shady slope?

Have you done a jar test to confirm that the soil texture has changed?

Have you tested the soil in the shady sloped section? Is it depleted of nutrients?

I have a wooded section in my yard where I dump clippings and leaves. That is the primary location where I find my worms. I use the compost for my flower beds. I think because AJW prefer mulch and leaf debris the likely hood of impacting turf should not be a concern.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

@Easyluck, it just so happens the area also adjoins a natural area where I dump yard waste as well. Makes sense.

Nutrients are fine. It's the surface soil texture is getting messed up. I might have to top dress with a little sand and then let the worms work it in to firm it up.

No jar test. But the texture in the top layer has definitely changed. Maybe top inch. It's sinking and it's obvious. It has less give now.

The Tall Fescue grows fine, minus the worms and voles, etc. It's not shaded in the Summer.

Yes, the worms are pretty crazy. But they don't jump into the air. At least these don't. They just move really fast and hang out at the surface. On pavement, they do wiggle upward fast as you state. But the entire worm does not leave the ground. They also move in an S-pattern.

If I can control this year's crop selectively, i will. If it's possible. Going to contact the experts.


----------



## Easyluck (Feb 5, 2019)

Here is a video showing how the worms I have move when touch.

https://youtube.com/shorts/wng4OmeZ3M8?feature=share


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Easyluck said:


> Here is a video showing how the worms I have move when touch.
> 
> https://youtube.com/shorts/wng4OmeZ3M8?feature=share


Yours are crazier. Mine move like yours in the second half of that video.


----------

