Invasive jumping worms have made their way into California, and scientists are worried
https://www.sfgate.com/local/article...a-17182377.php
Andrew Chamings May 18, 2022 Updated: May 18, 2022 6:11 p.m.
They clone themselves, they thrash violently like a rattlesnake when handled, they can jump a foot in the air, and now they're in California.
Beyond the jumping worm's gnarly appearance (the species is also referred to as Alabama jumpers, Jersey wrigglers and crazy snake worms, but officially named the Asian jumping worm), scientists are now concerned about the "significant threat" the invasive species may have on the state.
Amynthas agrestis is native to Japan and the Korean Peninsula, but made its way to North America through landscape plants imported from those regions. They were first spotted writhing through American soil in Wisconsin in 2013 and have since been found across the East Coast, but now they've reportedly headed west.
The worm was first seen in California last July, when one was positively identified in Napa County by a California Department of Food and Agriculture entomologist. The identification of that critter was confirmed through DNA sequencing.
Scientists are worried about the jumping worm entering the Golden State for several reasons. "These earthworms are extremely active, aggressive, and have voracious appetites," a recent CDFA report warns. They're able to eat through thick layers of leaf debris, home to a vast array of smaller animals, leaving behind only nutrient-free, dry worm casings that look like taco meat. They can even rid the forest floor of birds that nest there.
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Originally Posted by tod evans
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