Just when parts of the US may have found a way to eliminate the dangerous murder hornets, another species of creepy crawlies have begun to take over. These are snake worms! They have a voracious appetite and are an invasive species which is growing to be a cause of concern. These "snake worms" have taken over US forests in the last few years as they continue to spread rapidly across the states. These worms get their name because they move like snakes and have an ability to jump. Recently, a weird 'snake' was found in Virginia, which turned out to be a flatworm.
Jumping snake worms are invasive kind of earthworm and thrashes angrily when threatened. They are said to have arrived in the US about a century ago and spread from the potted plant industry as per the the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Fishermen have also been using these worms as bait. But in the last decade or more, they are spreading rapidly in the south and mid-Atlantic states. There have been more sightings in northeast, upper Midwest and west too! They had shared a video explaining these horrific invasive worms. They devour the leaves, destroy the soil and displace the other earthworms living there. Cicadas Seen in US First Time in 17 Years! Know If They Are Dangerous And Everything About These Periodical Insects 'Wailing Like Aliens'.
See The Video of Jumping Snake Worms Here:
What Are Jumping Snake Worms? Are They Dangerous?
Jumping worms are called as Asian jumping worms, crazy worms, Alabama jumpers and snake worms. The species is native to Asia and were first discovered in Wisconsin in 2013. They get their "jumping" name from their behaviour. When touched or handled, they thrash violently and spring into air to jump. They can even shed their tails to make an escape as mentioned on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The reason to worry of these jumping snake worms are their voracious eating habits. As per a study by soil scientists, the soil with presence of these invasive species found more carbon dioxide which makes soil non-conducive to growing new seedlings. In a year's time, they can chew through an area of 10 football fields! So they eat on the nutrients required for seedlings to grow. New research also revealed that they are changing the soil chemistry and microbes that live inside.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 16, 2020 03:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).