Asian jumping worms??

I had a strange experience. I was digging composted goat manure in a friend's pen when I noticed a vast number of reddish wriggling worms. Very active wriggling worms. I filled up multiple buckets of the manure & dumped it on my veggie garden.

But I have been having some concerns about those worms. They were small (it is the beginning of the season here) and they were VERY active. They were also a medium reddish color . Our normal worms are pink and sluggish in comparison.

Maybe the color difference is the richness of the goat manure? Maybe they were so active because they are very healthy?

I have since read about Asian jumping worms, a scourge that is apparently taking the north US by storm. They can travel 12 miles/year and grow to 12" long. They out compete other worms & gobble up all organic matter within reach.

This is the stuff of gardener's nightmares.

These worms have a distinctive white ring about them. Unfortunately I will have to wait for an identification as we have had 3 winter storms since I dumped the manure in our community garden. Everything is still covered by 2 feet of snow.

I am worrying about what I have unleashed. Anyone else encounter these kind of red active worms or these Asian jumping worms?

 

The red wriggler could be compost worms. I hope so.

 

Sounds like young red wigglers ! They are very active.

 

Mart, I think you are right. I just read up on red wrigglers & checked their photos out. I didn't find anything negative about them in the literature.

I'll still go for an actual ID once the snow recedes here.

Thank you all.

 

I get and use cow and horse manure regularly. The sacks also have wriggling red worms in them. I have used them and set them in the ground plots as well as the compost bins without any problems. I hope that you have the same ones. They do indeed wriggle like mad.
Good luck, meid.

 

Thanks Sjoerd! I think you & Mart are right. I just have never seen worms like those. They look hyperactive!

I am very pleased about this source of composted goat manure & am arranging for a load of it to be delivered to the community garden.

 

It is interesting to note, but I have only seen these little worms in sacks of manure that I pick up alongside the road by farms. The ones that I see in my plots look totally different.

 

Interesting, huh. I wonder what is with that.

 

Very interesting conversation going on. I have yet to begin digging. Hopefully the wiggling worms haven't invaded Michigan.

 

@Growingpains I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is in Michigan:

http://rivergrandrapids.com/invasive-asian-jumping-worm-or-crazy-worm-found-in-michigan-videos/

and

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/invasive-earthworms-denude-forests/

and

http://www.rochestermedia.com/asian-jumping-worms-hop-into-michigan/

 

Oh bummer, Cayuga! I will certainly beware of what inhabits our garden soil.

 

I watched the video of the Asian jumping worms, it's scary. The video shows how to if red wriggles.

 

Sorry identify red wrigglers