An invasive species makes its way into Illinois for the first time.
They’re called “jumping worms”, or Alabama jumpers.
Environmentalists are concerned with them. They eat far more than a regular worm, and can drain nutrients from the soil.
Jumping worms are not well studied, but have the potential to be harmful to any sort of vegetation, including crops.
They’ve been in Wisconsin for at least two years now, but now they’ve been found in three northern Illinois counties.
The University of Illinois Extension Office warns gardeners to beware of equipment they’re transporting to reduce the chances of the worms spreading.
