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“Jumping Worms: What We Know So Far,” with Brad Herrick
Jumping worms, or snake worms, have become the most asked-about pest in recent years, and no wonder: In forests and gardens, these invasive earthworms, now present in at least 38 states and several Canadian provinces, degrade the soil that plants and other organisms depend on.
What You’ll Learn in This Class
Like all earthworms, jumping worms consume organic matter. But they do so very rapidly, quickly changing the soil structure and its nutrient and carbon content. This has cascading effects on plant health, on other organisms that live in the soil, and even impacts carbon that might have been in the soil that is released into the atmosphere through their burrowing activities.
This webinar explores what we know so far, and what can we do:
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Get an introduction to basic earthworm biology and ecology—and how these species are different
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Learn to ID them, and to diagnose an invasion
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Understand their impacts on your soil
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Learn whether to continue traditional soil-care regimens in their presence, such as mulching and adding compost
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Explore the latest research on potential control options
About Brad — Our Guest Expert:
Ecologist Brad Herrick of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum has been studying jumping worms since 2013, since they were discovered at the arboretum, where he was the longtime ecologist and research program manager. He is now Director of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve at UW, overseeing research, teaching, and outreach of the 300-acre campus natural area.
He lectures regularly on jumping worms’ impacts, and has been interviewed by such publications as “The Atlantic,” “The New York Times,” “Science News,” and “Vox.”