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I am still working on the main blog entry for today, after having done many errands, cleaned, and wrote on my other blog first. But this caught my attention. Ew. Gross!
Earthworm plague sweeps Cincinnati
Recent heavy rains and the mating season thought to be the causes of the worm deaths in the Ohio Tri-State (In other words, they don't know)
People across the Tri-State [Ohio Indiana Kentucky] awoke to an unusual sight Thursday — thousands of earthworms lying dead on sidewalks and porches. WLWT was first alerted to the issue by Rick in West Chester. "This appears to have started sometime yesterday afternoon, as I do not remember seeing them yesterday morning," Rick wrote. Shortly after Rick's email, WLWT reporter Brian Hamrick began taking photos from his home in Florence, where thousands of worms coated the sidewalks of his neighborhood. After one post on FB, more than 90 people said they had seen the same thing, from Fairfield, to Mount Airy, Pleasant Ridge, Independence and Sardinia. We even got confirmation from our sister TV station in Louisville that they had a few hundred dead worms on their sidewalk. WLWT went in search of an answer as to why so many worms died all at once. Lee Townsend, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky, said there could be three reasons: the recent heavy rains, mating season or acidic soils. Townsend said the rain and mating season were the most probably culprits. During mating season, the worms climb out of the ground and can get stuck on surfaces like the sidewalk, where they are left to die."
In another article, they report, "After one post on Facebook, more than 90 people said they had seen the same thing, from Fairfield to Mount Airy, Pleasant Ridge, Independence and Sardinia. WLWT even got confirmation from its sister TV station in Louisville that they had a few hundred dead worms on their sidewalk. WLWT went in search of an answer as to why so many worms died all at once."
It isn't a plague of frogs, nor a plague of lice, nor a plague of flies. (Exodus 8-9). It is a plague of worms. I didn't change the words in the MSNBC headline. That was theirs. Entomologists are trying to explain why three states are experiencing a plague of worms that are grossing people out. Heavy rains? There are many springs and early summers where it rains hard. Mating season? Doesn't that happen every year? From day to day, things sure are getting exciting! I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
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Earthworm plague sweeps Cincinnati
Recent heavy rains and the mating season thought to be the causes of the worm deaths in the Ohio Tri-State (In other words, they don't know)
People across the Tri-State [Ohio Indiana Kentucky] awoke to an unusual sight Thursday — thousands of earthworms lying dead on sidewalks and porches. WLWT was first alerted to the issue by Rick in West Chester. "This appears to have started sometime yesterday afternoon, as I do not remember seeing them yesterday morning," Rick wrote. Shortly after Rick's email, WLWT reporter Brian Hamrick began taking photos from his home in Florence, where thousands of worms coated the sidewalks of his neighborhood. After one post on FB, more than 90 people said they had seen the same thing, from Fairfield, to Mount Airy, Pleasant Ridge, Independence and Sardinia. We even got confirmation from our sister TV station in Louisville that they had a few hundred dead worms on their sidewalk. WLWT went in search of an answer as to why so many worms died all at once. Lee Townsend, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky, said there could be three reasons: the recent heavy rains, mating season or acidic soils. Townsend said the rain and mating season were the most probably culprits. During mating season, the worms climb out of the ground and can get stuck on surfaces like the sidewalk, where they are left to die."
In another article, they report, "After one post on Facebook, more than 90 people said they had seen the same thing, from Fairfield to Mount Airy, Pleasant Ridge, Independence and Sardinia. WLWT even got confirmation from its sister TV station in Louisville that they had a few hundred dead worms on their sidewalk. WLWT went in search of an answer as to why so many worms died all at once."
It isn't a plague of frogs, nor a plague of lice, nor a plague of flies. (Exodus 8-9). It is a plague of worms. I didn't change the words in the MSNBC headline. That was theirs. Entomologists are trying to explain why three states are experiencing a plague of worms that are grossing people out. Heavy rains? There are many springs and early summers where it rains hard. Mating season? Doesn't that happen every year? From day to day, things sure are getting exciting! I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
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Huh... well, that's just wierd. Just yesterday, on my walk with Luka, there was an approximately 30 yard stretch of road, covered with earthworms just like that image up there. It freaked me out, but forgot about it by the time I got home. And I'm in Pennsylvania...
ReplyDeleteReally! Interesting! The articles say that it's mating season and they do come above for a little nookie before returning down to earth, but in these numbers and for this long, it definitely isn't mating only. It's never been seen before in these numbers over such a widespread area. Let m know if you see anything else if you think of it...
ReplyDeleteBTW I read your blog entry about your walk and it was the sweetest thing ever!
In Canada we've been getting lots of rain and strong thunder showers also, but only a few worms on the sidewalks. I always try to walk around them but it would be impossible to do with the sidewalk that full of them. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks Elizabeth for taking the time to keep us all updated on current events!
Things really are getting exciting!! :)
The honey bees are dying out - they pollinate our plants so we can eat. Bats are dying out - some pollinate our food so we can eat, others eat millions of bothersome insects each year. Now earthworms dying by the thousands like this? Earthworms help in several ways to keep our soil healthy so plants will grow better. Our food chain is being hit hard.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elizabeth! :) And I will keep you posted. I checked some news sites here, and nothing else has been reported. I think it was just a strange isolated thing. *shrug*
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