ATLANTA — If you’re one of the many metro Atlanta homeowners who’ve noticed dead or dying worms on your driveway, you’re probably wondering if you’re the victim of a pre-Halloween trick.
Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer as to what’s happening.
The term “watch your step” has new meaning along the Atlanta Beltline, where Gairma Soni and her pet cavapoo spend their morning walks dodging worms.
“They’re kinda everywhere,” said Soni. “He’s always sniffing them out and it’s kind of gross cause he’ll eat some once in a while.”
On Facebook, homeowners in various parts of metro Atlanta told us they’ve seen them. “Hundreds of them,” says one. “Every morning,” said another. “What’s going on? I’ve been asking for days.”
Worms emerge from the ground after it rains, a rare event these days. They’ll also emerge at night when it’s cool and damp, primarily to mate.
“And if they wind up on the sidewalk when the sun comes up they die pretty quickly,” said Dr. Will Hudson, an entomologist with UGA Cooperative Extension.
It happens all the time and doesn’t exactly explain why it seems we’re seeing so many dead or dying worms on concrete and asphalt now
Dr. Hudson said while there’s no concrete evidence that proves there an increase in the number of dead earthworms scattered across north Georgia this year, he agrees it seems that way. Hudson added it may have something to do with the non-native earthworms here in Georgia.
“A lot of different species that may have some subtle differences in their behavior, and if we were able to test that out we might have a better explanation,” said Hudson. “I don’t think so but we might.”
Whatever the reason, Garima Soni is ready for her dog to find a different source for snacks.