Garden

[tototwo]

Our local news has been warning us to look out for Asian Jumping Worms. They have been found in our area, gradually moving thru the USA. Anyone else heard of them? Or have them in their soil?

No, this is not a joke, but funny anyway. We've been asked to put them in sealed plastic bags and toss in trash if we find any. So every time I dig in my soil, I look for them. They are a darker color than normal earthworms, slither more like a snake than a worm, and multiply like crazy.

Supposedly these worms harm soil. Over time if allowed to thrive, these silly worms will kill anything planted. Gardeners' flowers and farmers' crops.

Just curious if any gardeners here have had to deal with them.

[haddon9]

@tototwo I have not seen any nor have I ever heard of them before but my lcoal Patch online mentioned them....they are coming to PA!  They sound disgusting as well as very harmful to the soil.

Seems like there is always something new to be wary off....why can't there ever be any really good news lately?

[SilleeMee]

Those worms have been sold as fish bait and then people bring them home and release them into their yards.

I watched a fishing show on TV where they were showing how "good" those jumpers are for catching fish b/c of the way they move. The man talking about them said when you go to a bait store you have to ask for the "jumpers".

[Bookplate]

A couple of months ago we were warned about some large jumping  spiders.  I will not be going outside until November.

[moonandthestars]

@tototwo Haven't heard of these.  Hope I won't!  Where are you? (what state)

[Bookplate]

I am in NY, they were supposed to be en route to NJ.  I would Google an article for you but don't want to be startled by a photo.  They are supposed to be "palm sized" and that is where I stopped reading.

[haddon9]

---

@Bookplate wrote:

I am in NY, they were supposed to be en route to NJ.  I would Google an article for you but don't want to be startled by a photo.  They are supposed to be "palm sized" and that is where I stopped reading.

---

@Bookplate Are you refering to the "palm" sized spiders?  I also had read something about them coming up to the northeast but didn't want to mention it or even Google because just seeing a photo would cause me distress!!

[Bookplate]

---

@haddon9 wrote:

---

@Bookplate wrote:

I am in NY, they were supposed to be en route to NJ.  I would Google an article for you but don't want to be startled by a photo.  They are supposed to be "palm sized" and that is where I stopped reading.

---

@Bookplate Are you refering to the "palm" sized spiders?  I also had read something about them coming up to the northeast but didn't want to mention it or even Google because just seeing a photo would cause me distress!!

---

I am, and that is exactly why I didn't Google it either.  The article I saw in the NY Times did have a photo.  This is a lot more athletic activity from the insect and invertebrate world than I need; crawling is bad enough.

[Icegoddess]

Oh dear, I think I might've seen one today in my garden.  I was digging a hole to plant something and this worm was thrashing around.  Usually, my digging brings out the earthworms, but they just crawl along.  I should've bagged it.  I just threw it in the grass.  Where's that robin that follows me around when you need it?

It wasn't that big though.  I thought the fisherman would like big fat worms.  Anyways, I see from Google that one of their names is AL jumpers, so they must be pretty well established here. 

[tototwo]

I've seen photos and they don't look scary except they slither like a snake, and I'm scared spitless of snakes. They don't look to be as big as night crawlers (worms also used for catching fish). I've heard they do jump up to about a foot, probably because they coil like a snake.

I'm smack in the center of the USA. They're coming from all directions. Oh boy!

Thanks for all your responses.