CHICAGO – It seems like anything out of a horror motion picture, and it will probably give some gardeners nightmares, but an invasive species of ravenous jumping worms is slithering their way throughout Illinois.
The worms which are native to East Asia, are a glossy gray or brown with a white band, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture says they thrash all over and can leap one foot into the air.
Indeed, you go through that appropriate, they jump a single foot in the air!!!
These slimy pests also devour vitamins from the soil, leaving it not able to maintain trees or plants, and according to some scientists could bit by bit damage whole forests.
There is also gentle concern the invasive species will close up in vegetation sold in nurseries which will then go into residence gardens and regional parks.
Illinois is 1 of 34 states with jumping worms and, in accordance to the University of Illinois, they’ve previously been detected in 40 Illinois counties, like Prepare dinner, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, and Will.
If you location one of these creatures, you’re urged to just take a photo and post it to your local University of Illinois Extension place of work.
Leaping worms’ tails independent from their bodies when caught, so authorities say the finest way to get rid of the them is to seal them in a plastic bag and then toss it into the trash.
