News

Invasive worm worries Wisconsin researchers, DNR

Wisconsin researchers and conservation officials are concerned about an invasive earthworm species.  University of Wisconsin Ecologist Carly Ziter says crazy worms, also called Alabama Jumpers, break down plant material and nutrients faster than regular worms or other soil organisms releasing too many nutrients at once.  “One of the worries about this is that when you release so many nutrients so quickly, they could be lost.  So, we know that these earthworms can raise for example the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in our soils, and it might leave them vulnerable to leaching or to getting into our water system.”

Ziter says the worms work so fast, it’s like having a fast-acting fertilizer on soil, but they also change the soil texture.  “Where they’re present in large numbers, the soil often looks kind of like coffee grounds.  It’s very dry and granular and quite distinct looking.”

And, Ziter says even though crazy worms have been in some southern states for decades, they know little about them.  “We’ve looked at these earthworms in forest and prairie and garden settings, but as far as I’m aware, there’s no research looking at them in agricultural settings.”

Ziter says crazy worms have been found in the Madison area and some other Wisconsin counties.

 

She says no earthworms are native to Wisconsin and most worms here now are native to Europe.  Jumping worms are native to eastern Asia, Japan, and Korea.  Ziter suspects the eggs were transported on the roots or vines of transplanted plants.

Ziter says identifying crazy worms is pretty easy, as they have a milky white band or clitellum and are usually near the surface.  She suggests cleaning boots and tools before moving to other garden or landscaping areas to prevent the spread of the worms.

The Department of Natural Resources encourages anyone finding jumping worms to email them at [email protected].