The latest invasive species to land on Indiana’s radar? Jumping worms.
Researchers at Purdue’s Department of Entomology say the jumping worms are an invasive species from Asia. They can have an impact on soil conditions and there are ways to stop them from spreading. the worms are bigger and scalier than standard earthworms, and they eat the nutrients that are valuable to the topsoil.
The EPA is looking into ways to fight the worms, which have been found in three southern Indiana counties. Experts fear they are likely to spread further into the state due to human-assisted migration.