chart

By Karen Alexander

[text to be added]

By Karen Alexander

Invasive Species are considered one of Canada’s greatest threats to the survival of our wild animal and plant life.  These species arrive, often accidentally, and establish in the absence of natural predators.  As a result, invasive species kill, crowd out, and devastate native species and their ecosystems.

Invasive plants and animals not only threaten wildlife, woodlands, and waterways, but they cost Canada billions of dollars in losses to forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and other industries affected by their impact.

A recent study found that municipalities and conservation authorities spend an estimated $50.8 million per year on invasive species management in Ontario alone. Economic costs associated with invasive species can include management, research and monitoring, reduced crop yields, job losses, damage to infrastructure, impacts to international trade and tariffs, impacts to ecosystem services, tourism and recreation, and property values.

Economic, environmental, and social costs of invasive species are much lower when funds are allocated to prevention and early detection efforts.  Once an invasive species spreads, management is exponentially more expensive and less efficient. 

The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club can help prevent the spread of invasive species and protect Canada’s environment, economy, and social well-being by reporting observations to the Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) Network.  The EDRR Network uses a mapping App called EDDMapS (Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System). This is a real-time app that allows citizens across North America to report invasive species in their communities. Click here to learn more about EDDMapS and becoming a citizen scientist.

In January, Karen will present on “Invasive Species: updates and information for Essex County”, and will continue to bring interesting reports on invading species across Canada to Club Members through the new “Invasive Species Spotlight” in the Egret.

By Tera Shewchenko, Invasive Species Centre

In the summer of 2021, several sightings of invasive jumping worms were reported in Ontario, predominantly in home gardens. Jumping worms, species of pheretimoid earthworms belonging to several genera including Amynthas, Metaphire, and Pheretima, are native to East-Central Asia and had previously invaded the Northwest and Midwest regions of the United States. They can be introduced into urban gardens through mulch, compost, nursery stocks, or potting mixes from areas with established jumping worm infestations, and have the potential to cause major harm to surrounding forest areas. Given their relatively recent spread into Ontario, early detection and rapid response (EDRR) is critical to managing the Canadian jumping worm population. So, if you see a jumping worm, the best way you can help is to report it! 

The easiest time to spot jumping worms is late summer. You can find them in the topsoil where they tend to appear in large numbers and will thrash wildly from side to side if disturbed. If you suspect your soil is contaminated, you can also coax them to the surface using a mustard pour. Jumping worms can be distinguished from other earthworm species by their smooth, firm skin, and their grey-white clitellum (a collar-like band around their bodies which allows them to create cocoons for their eggs). See JWORMfactsheet (ccetompkins.org) for a useful guide to jumping worm identification.

Another sign of jumping worm infestation is unusual soil properties such as quicker than usual consumption of mulch from the topsoil, and changes in soil texture caused by their coffee ground-like castings (see photograph below).

Other ways you can combat the invasion of jumping worms into Ontario include:

1. Avoid buying mulch, compost, nursery stocks, or potting mixes from areas with established jumping worm infestations.
2. Avoid buying baitworms, especially those advertised as “snake worms,” “Alabama jumpers” or “crazy worms”.

Any jumping worms encountered should be killed before being disposed of. The most humane method to euthanize jumping worms is using isopropyl alcohol, which will kill them within seconds.

For more information on jumping worms, you can visit the species profile on the Invasive Species Centre website.

References

Asian Jumping Worm. National Invasive Species Information Center. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2021, from: https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrates/asian-jumping-worm

Chang, C.-H., Bartz, M. L., Brown, G., Callaham, M. A., Cameron, E. K., Dávalos, A., Dobson, A., Görres, J. H., Herrick, B. M., Ikeda, H., James, S. W., Johnston, M. R., McCay, T. S., McHugh, D., Minamiya, Y., Nouri-Aiin, M., Novo, M., Ortiz-Pachar, J., Pinder, R. A., … Szlavecz, K. (2021). The second wave of earthworm invasions in North America: Biology, environmental impacts, management and control of invasive jumping worms. Biological Invasions, 23(11), 3291–3322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02598-1  

Clitellum – an overview. ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2021, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/clitellum.

Hunter, G. (2020, October 19). Invasive jumping earthworms: Coming to a forest near you? Cottage Life. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://cottagelife.com/outdoors/invasive-jumping-earthworms-coming-to-a-forest-near-you/. 

Jumping worms. Wisconsin DNR. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/jumpingWorm.html.  

Reynolds, John & Mctavish, Michael. (2021). New Asian pheretimoid “jumping earthworm” records (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) in Canada. Megadrilogica. 26. 83-89.

 Asian jumping worms. University of Nebraska. (n.d). Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/asianworms.shtml.