Worm Invasion

[custosnox]

We have been overrun with worms recently.  Everyday they throw themselves onto the sidewalk to bake themselves to death in the sun.  Their bodies continue to multiply to an overwhelming amount.  A few mornings ago we woke up to find several of them had made it into the dining room and were writhing across the carpet.  It seems as if this phenominon is restricted to our yard, seeing as the rest of the sidewalks and drives down the drive seem to be relativly worm free, save for the next door neighbors drive where it butts up against our front lawn.  When I was vacuuming the pool to waste last week, where the water was being drained to quickly became saturated with countless worms, some that could have been mistaken for small snakes.  I'm assuming that those came up to get away from the pool chemicals, but that was still a lot of worms.  Any idea what would be causing this extreme worm investation?

[Townsend]

I've been seeing a bunch as well.  I just assumed it was all the rain.

[Conan71]

It's the rain.  You need more robins around your house, they love worms.

[custosnox]

I'm just surprised that they aren't throwing themselves on the neighbors sidewalks like they are here and makes me wonder what is so bad about my lawn that they feel they need to escape it.

[Hoss]

After a good mowing I love watching the robins in my back yard feasting.  They'll stay back there most of an afternoon picking off dinner.

What I know I have a problem with after a big rain is ants.  I guess I'm not the only one.  I have a brother who has the same problem.

[custosnox]

After a good mowing I love watching the robins in my back yard feasting.  They'll stay back there most of an afternoon picking off dinner.

What I know I have a problem with after a big rain is ants.  I guess I'm not the only one.  I have a brother who has the same problem.

We don't even need a rain for a problem with the ants.  They have been an on going problem for a number of years, though they seem to be worst this year then previously.

[sauerkraut]

I have not noticed a worm problem, but ants are bad, I had two dead tree stumps along my north lot line fence, Both were badly infested with ants, I got the ants out of one tree stump by dumping bleach on the stump and ant killer, I guess the ants just moved on elsewhere, I doubt I killed them all  plus the queen. They are not fire ants (I don't think) but they do act like them a bit when you shake the stump or spray the stump with a ant killer they get on your leg and arms and seem to bite. Some of the ants on the 2nd stump have wings could they be termites & ants in one stump together? I know Texas has fire ants all over but they live in ground mounds, not tree stumps.

[Breadburner]

I find them over here too....Whats funny is the birds dont seem to care for them after they have been grilled.....

[custosnox]

I find them over here too....Whats funny is the birds dont seem to care for them after they have been grilled.....

no, but I seem to have a dog that doesn't mind if they have been toasted a bit.  Makes me think of "How to Eat Fried Worms"

[sauerkraut]

 I seen on one of those PBS shows last night "Oklahoma outdoors" or some such show, that there is a big problem with  lawn grubs in Oklahoma-  people don't see them then they are tiny, so they only get noticed when they grow into that big ugly white thing destroying lawns. At that stage they are hard to control. The end results are grim.

[Hoss]

I seen on one of those PBS shows last night "Oklahoma outdoors" or some such show, that there is a big problem with  lawn grubs in Oklahoma-  people don't see them then they are tiny, so they only get noticed when they grow into that big ugly white thing destroying lawns. At that stage they are hard to control. The end results are grim.

wow... 

[dbacks fan]

wow... 

I know, I'm sure Omaha is proud of one of their model citizens.

[heironymouspasparagus]

One of the things that means (besides that water is driving them out of ground) is the fact that you have an absolutely wonderful environment going on in your yard that is very good for the overall health of the yard!!  Congratulations!!  You have not overdone the bug sprays and over fertilized!!!

Worms are one of the most visible direct indicators you can have of health in the yard.  (Broken record moment: check with OSU extension and/or the Master Gardener office here in Tulsa.)

Additional info;  worms are like little bulldozers in your yard.  And the more the better!  They eat their way through the ground eating 'leftover' organic matter, converting it to the most magnificent fertilizer you could hope for and aerating the yard, helping all the other beneficial flora and fauna, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!

You can sometimes see ads for worm farms in some garden magazines, but you got your own going right now.

Lucky you!

[Cats Cats Cats]

I had a worm fall from the top of a door (going outside) when I opened it. Scared the crap out of me.

[custosnox]

One of the things that means (besides that water is driving them out of ground) is the fact that you have an absolutely wonderful environment going on in your yard that is very good for the overall health of the yard!!  Congratulations!!  You have not overdone the bug sprays and over fertilized!!!

Worms are one of the most visible direct indicators you can have of health in the yard.  (Broken record moment: check with OSU extension and/or the Master Gardener office here in Tulsa.)

Additional info;  worms are like little bulldozers in your yard.  And the more the better!  They eat their way through the ground eating 'leftover' organic matter, converting it to the most magnificent fertilizer you could hope for and aerating the yard, helping all the other beneficial flora and fauna, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!

You can sometimes see ads for worm farms in some garden magazines, but you got your own going right now.

Lucky you!

heh, too bad we might have thrown off that balance.  Finally got out the spray to get the ant situation under control, and after that the invasion stopped.  Of course there is the possibility that we sprayed about the same time that the lawn dried up enough for them to stop coming out.  But now that you mention it, we do have a healthy growth of chickweed, clovers and wild strawberries.