Jumping Worm Life Cycle

The life cycle of jumping worms is fast, completing in just one growing season—roughly six months. Unlike European earthworms, such as the red worm (Lumbricus rubellus) or nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris), which live for several years, jumping worms grow, reproduce, and die within a single season.

In Vermont, jumping worms typically hatch shortly after snowmelt in late March/early April. They remain dormant as cocoons throughout the winter, with hatching triggered once soil temperatures rise above 10°C. By late May, as temperatures increase, the hatching rate accelerates, and the worms begin to rapidly populate the soil.

Jumping worms grow quickly, with their population density peaking in June while they are still juveniles. By July or August, approximately 90-120 days after hatching, the first adults appear. However, as summer droughts set in, their numbers start to decline as they reach maturity.

They reproduce asexually through a process called parthenogenesis, meaning that females can produce offspring without needing a male. By early September, most of the worms have reached full maturity. As temperatures begin to drop in the fall, the population declines steadily, and by late November—or even into December.

While the general life cycle is consistent, timing can vary depending on local climate conditions. For example, in higher elevations with cooler temperatures, jumping worms might have a shorter life cycle. However, they still follow the same annual pattern—emerging, reproducing, and dying within a single growing season. Read more about jumping worms ecology here and here.