Most gardeners celebrate finding earthworms in their soil because they’re supposed to be a sign of a healthy, thriving garden. But what if some of those worms were actually making your soil worse? An invasive group of earthworms spreading across the United States is causing concern among researchers, gardeners, and conservationists because of its ability to transform healthy soil into something resembling used coffee grounds. Even worse, these worms can arrive in ordinary landscaping materials without homeowners realizing they’ve brought a problem into their yards.
They’re called invasive jumping worms, and unlike the familiar earthworms gardeners associate with healthy soil, they can seriously disrupt the environment beneath your plants. Here’s how to recognize them, why they’re concerning, and what you can do to keep them from spreading.
