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Crazy Worm - Amynthas agrestis (agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex) I&#039;ve been trying to get a shot of these worms for a few years now. They are appropriately nicknamed &quot;crazy worms&quot; because they thrash around so violently when exposed or handled. I first documented their castings here: <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/134294/crazy_worm_castings_-_amynthas_sp._likely_from_amynthas_agrestis.html" title="Crazy Worm Castings - Amynthas sp., likely from Amynthas agrestis"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/134294_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=KZEZid09rA4RMs3UkDwIBH5iuWE%3D" width="200" height="166" alt="Crazy Worm Castings - Amynthas sp., likely from Amynthas agrestis This isn&rsquo;t just a pile of dirt. It&rsquo;s earthworm castings (frass). I suspect it&rsquo;s from the crazy worm (Amynthas agrestis). They are called &lsquo;crazy&rsquo; because these earthworms thrash around violently when handled. They are incredibly invasive and can rapidly consume organic materials. They have been spread through waterways and by the movement of plants, soil, and compost due to human agricultural and horticultural practices.<br /> <br /> The forest floor includes a layer of organic matter in different stages of decomposition. It protects against erosion, provides the habitat for plants to germinate and grow, is home to creatures like salamanders, in addition to other soil organisms. <br /> <br /> The presence of these earthworms in the soil can have a devastating impact on the forest floor habitat. Their feeding and burrowing activities compact the forest soil, which can eventually decimate the forest floor habitat. Here are some specific impacts:<br /> <br /> -Earthworms reduce organic matter and replace them with castings (frass) which leads to drier, warmer soil<br /> -Their ingestion changes the proportions and conditions for bacteria and fungi in the soil, which leads to poor soil health and reduced plant growth<br /> -They reduce the presence of soil arthropods<br /> <br /> Habitat: Mixed forest Amynthas,Amynthas agrestis,Geotagged,Summer,United States,crazy worm,earthworm,earthworm frass,frass" /></a></figure><br /> *This worm is part of the agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Shrub swamp<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/167167/crazy_worm_-_amynthas_agrestis_agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi_complex.html" title="Crazy Worm - Amynthas agrestis (agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/167167_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=LjxrcHxEKJCrMECt5W9nChQ4704%3D" width="200" height="146" alt="Crazy Worm - Amynthas agrestis (agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex) I&#039;ve been trying to get a shot of these worms for a few years now. They are appropriately nicknamed &quot;crazy worms&quot; because they thrash around so violently when exposed or handled. I first documented their castings here: <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/134294/crazy_worm_castings_-_amynthas_sp._likely_from_amynthas_agrestis.html<br /> *This worm is part of the agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Shrub swamp<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/167166/crazy_worm_-_amynthas_agrestis_agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi_complex.html Amynthas,Amynthas agrestis,Geotagged,Summer,United States,agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex,asian jumping worm,crazy worm,juvenile worm,worm" /></a></figure> Amynthas agrestis,Geotagged,Summer,United States,asian jumping worm,crazy worm Click/tap to enlarge PromotedSpecies introCountry intro

Crazy Worm - Amynthas agrestis (agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex)

I've been trying to get a shot of these worms for a few years now. They are appropriately nicknamed "crazy worms" because they thrash around so violently when exposed or handled. I first documented their castings here:

Crazy Worm Castings - Amynthas sp., likely from Amynthas agrestis This isn’t just a pile of dirt. It’s earthworm castings (frass). I suspect it’s from the crazy worm (Amynthas agrestis). They are called ‘crazy’ because these earthworms thrash around violently when handled. They are incredibly invasive and can rapidly consume organic materials. They have been spread through waterways and by the movement of plants, soil, and compost due to human agricultural and horticultural practices.<br /> <br /> The forest floor includes a layer of organic matter in different stages of decomposition. It protects against erosion, provides the habitat for plants to germinate and grow, is home to creatures like salamanders, in addition to other soil organisms. <br /> <br /> The presence of these earthworms in the soil can have a devastating impact on the forest floor habitat. Their feeding and burrowing activities compact the forest soil, which can eventually decimate the forest floor habitat. Here are some specific impacts:<br /> <br /> -Earthworms reduce organic matter and replace them with castings (frass) which leads to drier, warmer soil<br /> -Their ingestion changes the proportions and conditions for bacteria and fungi in the soil, which leads to poor soil health and reduced plant growth<br /> -They reduce the presence of soil arthropods<br /> <br /> Habitat: Mixed forest Amynthas,Amynthas agrestis,Geotagged,Summer,United States,crazy worm,earthworm,earthworm frass,frass

*This worm is part of the agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex.

Habitat: Shrub swamp

Crazy Worm - Amynthas agrestis (agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex) I've been trying to get a shot of these worms for a few years now. They are appropriately nicknamed "crazy worms" because they thrash around so violently when exposed or handled. I first documented their castings here: <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/134294/crazy_worm_castings_-_amynthas_sp._likely_from_amynthas_agrestis.html<br /> *This worm is part of the agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Shrub swamp<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/167166/crazy_worm_-_amynthas_agrestis_agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi_complex.html Amynthas,Amynthas agrestis,Geotagged,Summer,United States,agrestis-tokioensis-hilgendorfi complex,asian jumping worm,crazy worm,juvenile worm,worm

    comments (4)

  1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
    Ferdy Christant
    Lion
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    Congrats on finding it! Posted 6 months ago
    1. View Christine Young's profile
      Christine Young
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Thanks! They come out of the ground if you are standing or walking nearby and then they thrash around. It's bizarre. Posted 6 months ago
      1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
        Ferdy Christant
        Lion
        View Lion class
        More like crazy :p Posted 6 months ago
        1. View Christine Young's profile
          Christine Young
          Lion
          View Lion class
          Obvious and clever ;) Posted 6 months ago, modified 6 months ago

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The Rustic Jumping Worm

"Amynthas agrestis", the Asian jumping worm, is a species of worm in the family Megascolecidae. It has a smooth, glossy, grey or brown body with a milky-white clitellum and can range from 1.5 to 8 in in length.

Info 2 0
Similar species: Opisthopora
Species identified by Christine Young
View Christine Young's profile

By Christine Young

Attribution Non-Commercial
Uploaded Feb 8, 2025. Captured Aug 1, 2023 10:00 in 3280 Franklin Ave, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA.
country flag of United States of America Explore United States of America 39,926 9,640 8
  • Canon EOS 90D
  • f/5.0
  • 1/64s
  • ISO800
  • 100mm
Captured in the summer. More summer photos.