So I have a mulching decomposition pile in backyard for leaves. Deer are tearing it apart! There were 6 deer on the pile tonite that is at most 40 yds behind house. Obviously there is something there they are wanting big time. Mostly oak leaves but some leaves from bradford pear trees.
So what do you think they are after?
View attachment 340036
They're after the worms that feed on the mulch. Super active jumpers, unrelated to earthworms. Great bait.
Unlike many earthworms that burrow in the soil, jumping worms feed on or near the surface of the ground, consuming large quantities of leaf litter and leaving only castings (earthworm feces) behind (
Figure 5,
Figure 6 and
Figure 7). They can also feed on mulch. Because of this behavior, jumping worms can disrupt natural ecosystems and home landscapes (see
Impacts and Management, below, for more information)
The most common species of jumping worms in North Carolina are parthenogenetic, meaning they reproduce without mating. This may be why they can attain high densities in an area. Jumping worms are considered annual species, only having a single generation per year. They produce dozens of
small, round structures (referred to as cocoons) containing eggs in the fall, which overwinter as the adults die out (Chang et al. 2021). These cocoons are dark brown and about 3 mm in diameter, about the size of a mustard seed. The cocoons / eggs hatch in the spring and the worms grow throughout the year. Thus, adults and their activity may not be seen until later in the year.
