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Final update, Winter 2023
Final update, Winter 2023
This project was initially launched in 2020 as a one year project, but there was so much to learn to was extended through the 2022 growing season. As the project grew, expended and then settled a great deal was learned about the ingenuity of gardeners, the emotions of people dealing with jumping worms, and some important tips to help manage these troublesome invasive species. For a comprehensive report on what was tried and if it appeared to work, plus some insight one which native, garden and vegetable plants are impacted by jumping worms and how see the final report below.
Project summary
Project summary
This Final Results Summary includes reports of reduction in jumping worm numbers, information on the emotional impacts of jumping worms, how feelings can be improved, and many creative integrated pest management approaches to jumping worm management. At the end is a list of plants and how they responded to jumping worms,
Fall 2022 Update
Fall 2022 Update
For the volunteers that are helping this year a Google Doc should have arrived in your email inbox by April 29. Please finish-up your 2022 reports by the end of the year so Angie can summarize them in early 2023.
I've been sharing your great work this fall at several professional conferences including the Society of American Foresters National Convention in Baltimore, MD, the first Women's Forest Congress in Minneapolis and the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference in Green Bay, WI. There has been a lot of great interest in your participatory science efforts. Thank you everyone!
You may also be interested in this poster presented at the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference in Green Bay, WI in October of 2022. The poster is about work the University of Minnesota Rochester undergraduate microbiology class did during the summer of 2022 to better understand the soil micros in areas impacted by jumping worms and those not: Jumping worms, community science and course-based undergraduate research experiences. The undergraduate UMR students really enjoyed working on this important, real-world issue.
Check out the documents below for information about jumping worm management and emotions.
As a reminder, we've introduced 12 new or improved common names for jumping worm species. Many of these new names are being used by EDDMapS, iNaturalist and worm researchers. If you're interested in that work check out this Improved or New Jumping Worm Common Names document.
Emotions Matter
Emotions Matter
Thanks to all of those that responded to the survey. Above are the summarized results. You all have provided a wealth of wonderful information. Thank you! I used that information to create this document Emotional support: For people with jumping worms.
Project overview
Project overview
Currently, there are no known, effective, legal ways to manage earthworms in Minnesota, including jumping worms. If you have jumping worms in your landscape, please help us understand what types of management you're using in your yards and gardens and if it appears to be working. This information may help to inform future scientific research.
Many people who discover they have jumping worms experience grief. One of the goals of this project is to offer participants hope and agency to continue to manage their landscape and enjoy the outdoors. You are not alone! There's still hope for your landscape and gardening hobby.
This program started in 2020 and will continue through 2022. On this page you'll find the Jumping worm: Report management Project Results Summary from 2020 and 2021. It also includes ideas we'd like to learn more about when gardening with jumping worms in 2022.
How you can help
How you can help
This project is winding down and we are no longer accepting volunteers. However you can help by spreading the word about jumping worms. Assure land managers with jumping worms they're not alone and continue to check the UMN Extension jumping worms website for the newest information.
2020 project results
2020 project results
Jumping worm: Report management volunteers, thanks for all your wonderful help! If you are gardening or managing a landscape with jumping worms you might find our 2020 Project Results Summary report informative (click to fully access). This report includes:
Management trials
Environmental impacts
Potential management research
Support and additional resources
As with all University projects safe and legal practices must be followed at all times. For jumping worm management specifically it's important to remember that all fertilizers and pesticides must be used according to the label.
Contact Angie Gupta, agupta@umn.edu if you have questions or comments.
Top photo credit: Wikipedia
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