'Wild thrashing' a sign that worm could be an invasive species

Prince Edward Islanders are being asked to keep an eye out for the Asian jumping worm.

The worms, native to east and southeast Asia,were recently discovered in the Maritimes for the first time, in New Brunswick, and also in a tropical house plant in Nova Scotia.

Saint Mary's University environmental science Professor Erin Cameron said the worms are different from the European species common on the Island because it has a band that goes all the way around its body.

But the easiest way to tell the difference is to pick it up.

"It moves quite a lot. It will almost jump out of your hand," said Cameron.

"It's more like wild thrashing."

The worms have been in North America a long time, first spotted in San Francisco in the 1860s, and about 16 species have been identified on the continent.

The worms are a problem, she said, because they grow in larger population densities than their European counterparts.

"They can quickly consume leaf litter and organic matter in the soil and change the soil structure, so you end up having a soil that looks a lot like coffee grounds. It's really dry and granular," said Cameron.

The worms end up depleting the soil of nutrients required by plants and other organisms living in it.

It is likely the worms will eventually come to P.E.I., said Cameron. The worms travel around in potted plants, and the suppliers on P.E.I. are likely the same as the suppliers in the rest of the Maritimes.

Islanders should be cautious about potted plants they have purchased, she said, particularly tropical ones. The worms, and especially their eggs, can hide quite easily. She said it was two months before the worms were noticed in the Nova Scotia case.

If you suspect you have found jumping worms, you should kill them by freezing them, putting them in a bag in the sun, or immersing them in isopropyl alcohol.

Then contact the P.E.I. Invasive Species Council or contact Cameron by email to let officials know about the discovery.

Charlottetown-based agricultural pest specialist Christine Noronha of Agriculture Canada said she is not aware of any sightings of jumping worms on P.E.I.