Asian jumping worms are an invasive species destroying our forests, and already in our yards


Sep 25, 2021

Earthworms seem to be ubiquitous in our soil, but did you know that the worms we see in Cambridge today are not native to the Northeast? The last ice age (which ended about 10,000 years ago) wiped out earthworms as far south as northern Pennsylvania. Our forests, for example, evolved without earthworms. Our forest floors have a thick layer of leaf litter, which helps prevent erosion and retains moisture that native plants need for their seeds to germinate. Earthworms devour this layer, which impairs growth of native plants. Over time, native plants disappear and invasive species such as garlic mustard take over. The entire ecosystem changes, and the changes affect not only plants, but also insects, birds and other species.

https://www.cambridgeday.com/2021/09...-in-our-yards/