Knowledgebase
Asian Jumping worm? #925862
Asked March 11, 2026, 3:16 PM EDT
Hello, I have been prepping my garden for the spring season and I have run across some really large worms! I have never seen worms this big before in my garden. I was excited at first because I thought that were good worms, but now I'm not so sure. I did a Google picture search I got the results that the worms I have been seeing are Asian jumping worms. Is this a correct identification? I'm have attached a picture below Thank you!
Crittenden County Arkansas
Expert Response
First, Yes, if it jumps around like nobody's business, it is a jumping worm. The image appears to be a jumping worm.
Secondly, they are considered naturalized, meaning they are here to stay and not much you can do about them. There is no approved soil treatment to kill them.
If you desire and it makes you feel better, you can sterilize them in a plastic bag in the sun to kill them. They are not the big 'Kill the world' pest we need to consider...(Like the Spotted Lantern Fly) that is invading NC and can possibly destroy the grape industry.
