Invasive Jumping Worms Have Been Found Across the Country!

Invasive Jumping Worms Have Been Found Across the Country—Here’s What You Need to Know–

Entomologists weigh in on the alarming creatures.

The following written content by Korin Miller

Murder hornets made headlines in 2020 for their scary ability to behead bees (and their generally terrifying name). Now, there’s a new creepy creature to add to our ever-growing list of things to worry about: invasive jumping worms.

These worms, also known as amynthas agrestis or Asian jumping worms, are suddenly making headlines after they’ve been spotted across the country. The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) notes in a report that these worms were introduced to the U.S. through landscaped plants and have now spread.

But the CDFA report also included this spine-tingling description of the worms: “These earthworms are extremely active, aggressive, and have voracious appetites. True to their name, they jump—known to jump off the ground or out of a bait can—and thrash immediately when handled, behaving more like a threatened snake than a worm, sometimes even breaking and shedding their tail when caught.”

The United States Department of Agriculture says in a new blog post that scientists are “worried” about the spread of these worms.

Never heard of jumping worms before? That’s all about to change. Here’s what you need to know about these creepy crawlies that can get some major air.

What states are jumping worms in?

There doesn’t seem to be a nationwide tracking system for these worms. However, the CDFA report says that invasive jumping worms have been spotted in the following states: