Most everyone thinks of Earthworms as “night crawlers” or those brownish-red fishing worms. Normally they are beneficial to the soil. However, when population increases, usually in richer soil in moist areas, they really make a mess. They deposit little beads of soil about the size of a pinhead on top of the soil. When you see the cumulative effect of beads of soil on top of the ground the end result is a spongy, muddy situation.

Most everyone thinks, incorrectly, that this is Mole Cricket damage. Usually they are the first problem noticed in Winter through Spring when the ground moisture is higher. As the season progresses the dispersal of beads looks like little volcanoes usually less than the circumference of a dime. It can get so bad that the soil they deposit on top of the ground actually covers up the lawn. In addition, the rich soil they deposit aggravates Brown Patch fungus so they are often noticed together in problem areas. To lessen their effect, drain water-clogged soil. If this problem becomes severe enough, we offer additional applications to reduce the effects of this problem.