WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – An invasive species of worm known to ravage soil and plants has been found in Jefferson County.
It’s called the Asian jumping worm and it first made an appearance in the north country when it was found in St. Lawrence County in 2018.
Now, another confirmed case has officials worried there could be more to come.
“They’ve been in this country for a while, but they have become invasive and they are starting to pop up in more and more places,” said Sue Gwise, horticulture educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County.
A homeowner in Jefferson County spotted the worm on their property and brought it to CCE.
“We sent it down to Colgate University and had it positively IDed by a biologist and it indeed was the Asian jumping worm,” said Gwise.
She says the jumping worms, so named because they thrash about, devour matter in the soil that supply essential nutrients to things like plants, ultimately damaging the roots and causing plant growth to falter.
Gwise says what’s also worrisome is the way the worms spread.
Continue Reading on WWNYTV