An invasive pest is spreading in Missouri and Illinois. University of Missouri Extension entomologist Kevin Rice tells Brownfield the jumping worm is spreading from mostly urban areas. 

“They are invasive, and they grow a whole lot faster, and they eat a ton more leaf litter than other worms,” Rice said. “Long story short, that really disrupts the nutrients available for plants and native animals in the ecosystem.”

He says while not much is known about the damage the worms cause yet, they seem to impact forest land the most.

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