06/08/2026
🪱 ATTENTION GARDENERS: Know Your Worms! 🪱
As spring turns to summer, worm populations begin booming! It's more important than ever to know the difference between our common European earthworm and the invasive Jumping Worm (Amynthas agrestis). Here are the key identification tips:
🔍 LOOK AT THE MOUTH:
• Jumping Worm = large, distinct mouth
• European Earthworm = no distinct mouth
🔍 LOOK AT THE CLITELLUM (that band around the body):
• Jumping Worm = milky white, smooth, flush with the body, wraps ALL the way around
• European Earthworm = saddle shaped, raised, similar in color to the body
🔍 BEHAVIOR:
• Jumping Worm = thrashes and jumps wildly when disturbed
• European Earthworm = calm, does not jump
🔍 LOOK AT THE SOIL:
• Jumping worms leave behind distinctive grainy, coffee ground-like castings (worm p**p) a major red flag!
⚠️ WHY IT MATTERS:
Jumping worms are an invasive species that destroy soil structure, strip nutrients, and damage lawns and gardens. In Wisconsin they are a restricted species. They reproduce asexually, mature in just 60 days, and can have TWO hatches per year, so one worm quickly becomes many.
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🚨 SPOTTED ONE? HERE'S WHAT TO DO:
1) PHOTOGRAPH IT: get a clear photo showing the clitellum
2) REPORT IT: submit your sighting to the Wisconsin DNR or via the free EDDMapS app
3) REMOVE & DISPOSE: capture the worm and either
• Drop it in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to kill it, OR
• Bag it in a sealed plastic bag, leave in direct sunlight for several days, then trash it
• DO NOT put them in compost or move them around your yard
4) TRY THE MUSTARD TEST: mix 1/3 cup ground yellow mustard seed into 1 gallon of water and pour slowly into the soil. It irritates worms and brings them to the surface so you can remove them.
5) SOLARIZE IF NEEDED: for larger infestations, wet the soil and cover with clear plastic sheeting to heat the soil above 104°F for at least 3 days to kill worms and cocoons.
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🛡️ PREVENTION TIPS FOR GARDENS:
✅ Inspect any new plants, mulch, or soil for coffee ground-like castings before buying
✅ Buy bare-root plants or seeds when possible
✅ Only buy mulch/compost from reputable dealers who heat-treat their materials
✅ Clean your boots and tools after working in the garden
✅ Do NOT share plants or soil from a garden you know has jumping worms
✅ Never release fishing bait worms (sometimes sold as "snake worms," "crazy worms," or "Alabama jumpers" these are jumping worms!)
Note: Jumping worms can't be definitively identified until fully mature and the clitellum is developed, typically mid-July. If you're unsure, wait and watch!
📚 Learn more: https://jwp.cfans.umn.edu/meet-jumping-worm
📍 Report sightings: EDDMapS app (free download)
