I Can Name That Worm in Four Clues – How About You?
Match the clue to the Worm's Image. Place an X in the appropriate column.
Worm 'A'—Earthworm, nightcrawler, Lumbricus terrestris, is one of over 2,700 varieties of earthworms. They play an important part in the ecosystem, improving the quality of the soil, such as its moisture, ability to hold water, and nutrient content. They are also an important part of composting.
Worm ‘B' – Is a jumping worm, Amynthas agrestis. It is an invasive earthworm capable of harming native forests. This pest devours leaf litter and other organic matter, changing soil texture and nutrient availability to a point where some plants may be unable to survive. Its feeding can lead to a decline in the diversity and population of native plants and other organisms within forests and gardens. If you have seen this worm, go to https://ucanr.edu/sites/hdnmastergardeners/Jumping_Worm/ to report your findings and to learn more.
Resources and Further Reading:
Cornell Cooperative Extension https://warren.cce.cornell.edu/gardening-landscape/warren-county-master-gardener-articles/invasive-asian-jumping-earthworms
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=56929
University of Minnesota https://jwp.cfans.umn.edu/meet-jumping-worm
Answers:
- Author: Ben Faber
Cruising the avocado orchard, checking out the irrigation system
Then Bang!!!!!!! What hit me?????
A little closer look, after clearing some sticky stuff off my head and hair and face and shirt and still not getting it completely off.
And there's the remainder of a spider web with a spider in the center of it (that brown blob near the top right)
And high in the sky there's another spider above my head (that little little dot)
I must have initially hit “signal threads” which alert the spider that I was coming, because just as I took these photos, it had scampered off into hiding in a leaf. I tried to get more close-ups but the spider just did not want to get close. It looked like the an unidentified species of Araneidae family of orb weaver spiders that is common in the Ventura/Santa Barbara area.
They have been common all spring and summer this year. The Year of the Orb Spider, maybe. It's been an unusual year with all the rain and mild weather. They feed on all manner of insects that fly into their webbing – thrips, whiteflies, moths, even hummingbirds have been known to be caught up in orb weaver webbing.
They are usually most active at night and morning, repairing the webbing from the night's catches and other orchard intruders. Their webbing can stretch for several feet between branches, with the web catching portion (where the circular part is most intensive) from 6 – 18 inches.
This year has also seen a flurry of infestation by the Caloptilia avocado leaf roller/miner. Maybe that's why there's been so much more spiders, since there's more food.
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=48887
Whatever the cause of the increased orb spiders is, it's best to thread your way through the orchard with an outstretched branch, used like the wand of a conductor, acting like you know what you are doing.
A study about orb spiders from 1980 in San Diego is available online:
California Avocado Society 1980 Yearbook 64: 153-186 A Study of Neoscona oaxacensis (Araneae: araneidae) in Commercial Avocado Orchards in San Diego County, California Frank Henry Pascoe Candidate for degree of Master of Science in Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.
https://www.avocadosource.com/cas_yearbooks/cas_64_1980/cas_1980_pg_153-186.pdf
Image: Lea Boyd, Saticoy, CA 2023
The UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County have taught adult classes at local libraries since April of 2022. Now, we are excited to present our Vermicomposting Class in June that will be fun for the WHOLE family!
Vermicomposting is the process of using red wiggler worms* to help eat kitchen scraps. Join us for this class to learn interesting facts about these worms, how to make your own “worm hotel,” and which foods the red wiggler worms eat that can help turn your kitchen scraps into compost for your garden!
In addition to presenting information about vermicomposting, you'll be able to “meet” a few live worms and see them in action in a worm bin. Kids of all ages will love "meeting" the worms, so be sure to bring them. We hope you can attend at one of these local Stanislaus County Library locations:
Vermicomposting Classes
Sat, 6/3 at 2:00 p.m. – Empire Library
Tues, 6/6 at 6:00 p.m. – Salida Library
Thurs, 6/8 at 1:00 p.m. – Patterson Library
Sat, 6/10 at 2:00 p.m. – Riverbank Library
Mon, 612 at 6:00 p.m. – Ceres Library
Tues, 6/13 at 6:00 p.m. – Oakdale Library
Mon, 6/26 at 5:30 p.m. – Modesto Library
Wed, 6/28 at 6:00 p.m. – Turlock Library
*earthworms don't like to be disturbed, so they are not used for vermicomposting.
/h3>- Author: Ben Faber
There are 1,800 species of earthworms grouped into five families and distributed all over the world. Some grow as long as 3 feet, while others are only a few tenths of inches. We call them nightcrawlers, field worms, manure worms, red worms and some people just say "yuck."
Numerous investigators have pointed out the beneficial effects of earthworms on soil properties. One of the first of these observers was Charles Darwin who published Earthworms and Vegetable Mould in 1881. He remarked on the great quantity of soil the worms can move in a year. He estimated that the earthworms in some of his pastures could form a new layer of soil 7 inches thick in thirty years, or that they brought up about 20 tons of soil per acre, enough to form a layer 0.2 inch deep each year.
Earthworms, where they flourish, are important agents in mixing the dead surface litter with the main body of the soil. They drag the leaves and other litter down into their burrows where soil microorganisms also begin digesting the material. Some earthworms can burrow as deeply as 5 to 6 feet, but most concentrate in the top 6 to 8 inches of soil.
The worm subsists on organic matter such as leaves and dead roots near the soil surface. The earthworm ingests soil particles along with the organic matter and grinds up the organic matter in a gizzard just as a chicken does. This is excreted in what we call worm casts. The castings differ chemically from the rest of the soil, as they are richer in nitrogen, potassium and other mineral constituents.
Castings are a natural by-product of worms. When added to normal soils in gardens or lawns, they provide the same kinds of benefits as other bulky organic fertilizers. Castings today are not commonly used as fertilizer by commercial plant growers because of their cost relative to other fertilizers. However, castings are used by some organic growers and are sold commercially as a soil amendment or planting medium for ornamental plants grown in pots.
The physical soil churning process also has several important effects:
- Organic residues are more rapidly degraded with the release of elements such as nitrogen, sulfur and other nutrients.
- Some of the inorganic soil minerals tend to be solubilized by the digestive process.
- Extensive burrowing improves soil aeration.
- Burrowing can improve water penetration into soils
- The earthworm carries surface nutrients from the soil surface and imports them into the root zone of the plant.
Although earthworms are considered beneficial to soil productivity, few valid studies have been made to determine whether their presence will significantly improve plant growth. This may seem odd since many of us have learned from childhood that worms are good. It is something like the chicken and the egg analogy. The conditions that are conducive to earthworms are also ideal for plants. Both plants and worms need temperatures between 60 and 100 degrees F for good growth; both need water, but not too much or little; they both require oxygen for respiration; and they do not like soils that are too acid or basic or too salty. By correcting soil conditions that are unfavorable for one will also improve the outlook for the other. The earthworm is a natural component of the soil population. If the soil is properly managed this natural population will thrive. In this sense, the presence or absence or earthworms can be an indicator of the "fertility" of one's soil.
Stanislaus County Library Composting Classes
Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Salida Library
Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. – Riverbank Library
Monday, September 12, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Ceres Library
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Oakdale Library
Monday, September 26, 2022 at 6:15 p.m. – Modesto Library
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Turlock Library
Stanislaus County Agricultural Center, Harvest Hall Composting Class
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. rooms D&E
Turlock Community Gardens
We taught composting at this location in spring, so this month we are offering vermicomposting, the fun and easy way to compost kitchen scraps using red wiggler worms. Children are welcome!
Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
Patterson Library
We are offering a Fall Vegetable Gardening Class at the Patterson Library, in case you missed this class last month at other locations. Class is Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Composting will be taught at the Patterson Library on October 12 at 2:00 p.m.
Never miss a class, bookmark our online calendar: https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Calendar/
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