Adult Amynthas agrestis (left) and Amynthas tokioensis (right). (Photo: Marie Johnston, UW–Madison Department of Soil Science and Arboretum)
The Manitowoc County Master Gardener Volunteers are hosting a webinar on April 27 to inform Wisconsin gardeners of a new and important threat to our gardens and landscapes, a type of earthworm called the “jumping worm”.
Although all earthworms can harm landscapes and forests, jumping worms may pose a bigger threat than other earthworms. They grow more rapidly, reproduce more quickly and consume more nutrients than other earthworms. Once established, jumping worms quickly transform the soil into dry, granular pellets with a texture like discarded coffee grounds. This altered soil structure is often unaccommodating to ornamental and garden plants, and inhospitable to many native plant species. In many cases, invasive plants thrive where jumping worms live.
Unfortunately, the jumping worm is now in Wisconsin. It was found in 2013, at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum in Madison. The Arboretum has become a center of research on this topic, with Brad Herrick as the Ecologist and Research Program Manager.
Mr. Herrick will be the presenting speaker at the webinar. His presentation will provide an overall description of the jumping worm threat, including their effect on our gardens, how to identify them, and methods of control.
Details on the webinar:
Time: April 27, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
To join the Webex Meeting
Join by Computer:
https://uwmadison.webex.com/uwmadison/j.php?MTID=m36afa18066802497fcf07b03a08397a1
Meeting number (access code):294 468 085
Meeting password: HkYnxCE7P47
Or
Join by Phone:
1-415-655-0001 US Toll
Meeting password: 45969237
