Earth Worms

[CoastalGreenscapes]

Here's one for you all. What is the best thing on the market to get rid of earthworms now? I've got a yard that is dieing fast and it turns out there are over 200 works per square yard. It's been years since I have seen this and I forgot what I used. Suggestions?

[crawdad]

Soak the ground until they come up, pick worms, go fishing! :waving:

[PTP]

I thought that earthworms were supposed to be good for the ground. Kind of like natures aererators or something.

[sheshovel]

If you have earthworms you have great soil and they will keep it fertilized and aireated for you.Are you sure they are earthworms and not some other kind?I have never heard of or seen earthworms kill or do much damage to a lawn.Worms are our freinds.don't kill um ,sell um.

[CoastalGreenscapes]

Yea... they're earthworms. About 250 per square yard.

[Gladestraveller]

Two products that you might already have in your program planning are ai Cabaryl insecticide and Thiophan Methyl fungicide both do well to suppress populations. Rates are usually high for most effective control. Good Luck!

Google UK research on earthworms on golf greens

[TOMMY1115]

First off, can you go into detail about the damage. When it started, what it looks like, etc. I've been in the industry for 13+ years and never heard of earthworms killing a lawn.

Secondly, check to make sure that those products are labeled for worms. Make sure that there is very little thatch as most products will bind in the thatch layer. Prepare your customer to water the grass alot to get the product down to the earthworms. I know sevin used to have a label for earthworms, might have been taken off.

[Chris Wagner]

Never seen anything like that here. It might not be the earthworms so much as what might be feeding on them... like birds, moles, etc.

There are over 200 species of earthworm in North America. Not all of them bring castings to the surface which may be perceived as damage (especially to golf courses).

I'd be careful, but you could make the soil slightly more acidic. Some of the fertilizers the worms don't particularly care for either, reducing their number. There are other conditions, too, you could use before the pesticide route. Reduce the amount of moisture (if the turf will withstand it) and even bagging the grass (if it's an option) are possibilities. Bagging reduces the amount of clippings the worms feed on.

[CoastalGreenscapes]

I had someone from Clemson University Extension go by today and verify the problem. He has never seen anything like this before. They are going to do some testing tomorrow. I will take some pictures and post them.

It started off as little mounds of dirt. We did the bucket test and hundreds of them started jumping out of the ground.

What is happening is that there are so many of them that they are actually pulling the dirt away from the roots thus killing the grass. Wait until you see the pictures tomorrow.

[Ric]

Coast

I have never heard to such a problem. But Liquid Sevin (Carbaryl) is the best thing for killing Earth Worms. Gladestraveller has already recommended it. I would try no less than 6 oz per thousand with at least 5 gallons of water per thousand. I would also use a good wetting agent like Respond. If I didn't see a good response after two weeks I would hit it again.

[crawdad]

I had someone from Clemson University Extension go by today and verify the problem. He has never seen anything like this before. They are going to do some testing tomorrow. I will take some pictures and post them.

It started off as little mounds of dirt. We did the bucket test and hundreds of them started jumping out of the ground.

What is happening is that there are so many of them that they are actually pulling the dirt away from the roots thus killing the grass. Wait until you see the pictures tomorrow.
Earthworms? Jumping out of the ground? Call Agents Scully and Mulder.

[Grassmechanic]

Pick them up and sell them!! they're about a $1.50/dozen in my neck of the woods.

[The C Man]

[Bump]

Just keeping this thread current. A lot of us are really interested to see the pics of this situation.

[Jason Rose]

We have the same problem here, though they are more described as 'nightcrawlers" than earthworms. I think they ate all related, night crawlers are just huge, 6 to 8 inches long. The damage they do is the 'castings' small bumps in the lawn that are rock hard and can really destroy the useability of a lawn. Tripping, twisted ankles, let alone the bumpiness when trying to mow it. Most of the year you don't see the damage, it's late winter to early spring when they get active and the turf isn't growing much or at all yet. The suckers come up and feed on the grass. I have a couple nice thick lawns that were nearly dessimated from the night crawlers. Luckily the roots of the turf were still there and the grass eventually filled back in. The castings and the worms are still there, but the grass's growth keeps it filled in.

The local extension office had a leaflett about them and in it stated that there is "no chemical available on the market to kill earthworms or night crawlers" Then at the bottom it stated a warning of a number of chemicals which inadvertanly will kill them. Sevin was on the list, as well as a number of others. I'm going to try to scan it and post it here.

[Jason Rose]

interesting... it tells how there is NO control, then it tells you the products that will kill them... funny huh? Oh, you better NOT ever get caught telling people you are killing them either, or at least the state, I bet the fines for that are HUGE.

[SodKing]

I might have a nightmare after reading this thread....;)

[The C Man]

Did you ever get pics of this situation?