Welcome to the third and potentially final installment of a series of articles we have written on the various earthworms and their differences. If you have not read the first two articles, we covered the common earthworm, the Asian jumping worm, and more. In this installment, we will be focusing on some particularly fantastic earthworms, mainly those of the giant variety. We use the term ‘giant’ loosely. Our readers need not fear running into a worm the size of those in ‘Dune’, but relative to other earthworms (and worms in general) these guys are nonetheless pretty big.

Welcome to the next installment in the earthworm series. This is the second in a set of three, which aims to provide a brief overview of some of the most notable and often-discussed species of earthworms. If you have not read the first article, we covered the common earthworm and the tiger worm in that one. In this sequel, we will be looking at pheretima earthworms and the Asian jumping worm. These two species are pretty well-established in the helminthology world, though sources on the pheretima earthworm seem to provide conflicting accounts about their physical characteristics.

A species of earthworm commonly referred to as a ‘jumping worm’ has made its way to North America, namely the Asian jumping worm (Amynthas agrestis), and its introduction into California’s habitats has caused concern for the ecosystem. Asian jumping worms get their name from their ability to leap as high as a foot into the air. They also have a general tendency to squirm and flail around when disturbed, which is typically when they will also jump: it is a defense mechanism they use to get away from predators. The Minnesota Department of Resources uploaded a “YouTube video about jumping worms” which shows the worms’ erratic behavior.