Pest Control for the Northeast: Jumping Snake Worms

These rapidly spreading invasive invertebrates can degrade your soil and make it harder for plants to absorb water

As if gardeners do n’t have enough to contend with , an invading worm is surprising many of us by strike into our Northeast gardens . “ Worms ? ” you might ask . “ I consider insect were good and good for compost and soil health ? ”

Well , not just . Some worm do helpful tasks that enrich our ground and make our gardens function more efficiently . While purists may indicate that all worm in North America are nonnative ( thanks to the glaciers there are no aboriginal worms ) , at least the spell red wigglers and European fishworm are able work in harmony , and like our other nonnative gardening friends , the honeybees , are able to do good thing for us . The same is not true when it comes to jumping snake worm .

Distribution

Jumping Hydra worms ( AmynthasandMetaphirespp . ) , also known as dotty insect , Alabama jumper , or Asian jumping worms , are obtrude upon garden throughout the eastern United States . The first species were found in California in the previous 19th one C . Today snake worms are found in 37 states and are spreading quickly into the Northeast .

Many scientist believe the rise in snake in the grass worm universe has accelerate through practices used by commercial-grade horticulture . plant life material at glasshouse and garden centers is commonly grown elsewhere and ship in deal of soil , which can delight worms and their eggs . Snake dirt ball and their ballock have even been obtain in bag commercial-grade compost mixes . Factor in recreational sportfishing lure , and snake worms have multiple communication channel in which they can trip from one place to another .

Snake River worms love our gardens because there is fiddling rivalry . Other effected insect populations slow down during the hot months of summer , while Snake River worm crave the heat . Unlike other worms , serpent worms repose eggs that can survive temperature as crushed as – 12 ° atomic number 9 . While they ca n’t defy temperature above 100 ° F , seldom if ever does Northeast soil get to such highs . A newly hatch egg in late March can mature in 90 days , and an adult can position multiple egg cases in a time of year before the weather becomes cold .

Identification

Like their name suggests , snake in the grass worms often move or jiggle across the surface of the ground a bit like a snake . I ’d say that they search more like very healthy nightcrawlers that just happen to be supernumerary somersaulting - floppity . Snake worms are from the Falco peregrinus pheretimoid chemical group of worms . There are 16 species of make out pheretimoid snake worms in North America . Identifying ophidian worms is easy . Just look for the lite - color band that appears on worms such as nightcrawlers . On snake worm , the ring ( call the clitellum ) goes all the way around the body of the worm , while on dew worm the pack only belong about 3/4 of the way around .

Damage to soil structure

Left unmanaged , snake worms can take over your integral garden , and even worse , move into woodlands and farm . snake in the grass worms opt leaf mulch and feed voraciously on organic matter that already exists in all of our garden . They reproduce rapidly and change the soil body structure so that most industrial plant material can not go a drouth . Snake worms are parthenogenic , think that the species does n’t need a male and a female person to breed . All it take on is just one worm ( or even a single egg ) find into your garden to kickstart an full universe of hundreds , if not thousands , in a single season .

Snake insect can also outlast in more crowded populations than European worm can . They can outcompete established populations of European species ( which assist our grunge ) by run through constitutional matter more quickly . This conduct to a population boom that can promptly overtake a forest trading floor or a metropolis garden .

The damage to our garden and environment does n’t number from Snake River worms devouring organic subject ; it ’s far more sinister than that . Snake dirt ball casting bulk up far too chop-chop , make soil extremely poriferous . In snake in the grass worm – invade gardens , the loose and granular soil can not hold water . It also changes the chemical science of the ground , which becomes more alkaline . This is not a dear matter for plants that demand acidic soil . The soil social system can quickly become so free that mature forest trees have been do it to topple over .

Prevention and treatment

check or eliminating populations of snake in the grass worms has been unmanageable . As of now , there is picayune one can do that will in effect manage or eliminate worms from a garden or forest . scientist are working diligently on everything from organic methods such as biologic controls to chemical solutions . There are also trial on fertilizers with high level of saponin .

you’re able to mesh in bar strategies by debar introducing stain from elsewhere and examining nursery pots for worms when you bribe them . If you need to buy soil or compost , make certain it ’s sterilized . the great unwashed fish are encouraged not to unblock worms ; composters are caution not to buy worm or remove worm from vermiculture bins .

If you have snake dirt ball , you may quash their populations by reducing organic material such as leaves or bark mulch and allow filth to dry out or rise to high temperatures ( above 100 ° farad ) . you’re able to do this in localized areas by solarizing the soil . Additionally , mix mustard ( the condiment ) with water and decant it on soil will irritate all worms and play them to the open . This will let you check off to see if you have snake worms and hand pick them out of the soil . While this can assist , it will not stop an outbreak .

In some states , such as Wisconsin , where gaolbreak have destroyed Akka of forests , people will pick and destroy as many worm as they can by placing the worm in a shaping bags and set the bags in full sunshine for an hour . Drastic methods of controller can also include prescribed sunburn .

While there are no surefire way to completely stop an outbreak in your garden , there is some hope on the apparent horizon from on-going scientific cogitation . Additionally , most states are asking gardeners to describe populations of serpent writhe in their garden . written report sightings and photos to your local extension service .

Matt Mattus is the writer of two book : Mastering the Art of Flower GardeningandMastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening . He gardens in Worcester , Massachusetts .

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