![]() As a result, habitat and food are lost, and non-native plant species can quickly establish themselves. Eating the organic material removes the soils moisture and nutrients, and leaves behind loose, bare soil that is mostly castings (earthworm feces) resembling coarse coffee grounds. Jumping worms consume the duff, and are able to move and eat much more quickly than other worms. A healthy forest develops a layer of leaf litter called duff, that slowly decomposes over time and provides habitat and food for fungi, amphibians, birds, insects and native plants and trees. Jumping worms are epi-endogeic, meaning they live primarily in organic matter in the top layer of soil. While they have been around for a while, Jumping Worms are causing new concern for our natural environment because of how quickly they are taking over. Therefore, earthworms are non-native to Canada. During early colonization, earthworms were brought over by European settlers for agriculture, garden and baiting use. ![]() Earthworms were wiped out in North America after the last ice age.
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