Comments on: Legendary Giant Earthworm Finally Appears, Disappoints Everybody

By: Matt Parkhur

Matt Parkhur — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:20:00 +0000

Okay, when I was a kid, living in Dallas, Oregon in the mid 80′s, I had an unusual encounter one day. I was playing in the back yard (and may have been using the hose quite a bit, not sure) and out of the ground comes this huge worm-like creature. Yes, I was young and much smaller than I am now, but even today, I can’t imaging this creature being any less than a foot and half long by 3 or 4 inches in width. It was pure white, and after handling it for some time, spit a horrible substance at me. This happened a long time ago, so I can’t remember the details of how it felt, smelt, etc, but it was bad.

I was just looking through the net for similar creatures and thought I had found it in something called the ‘Giant Oregon Earthworm’, but after looking at images of this worm, I am certain that it was not what I saw, unless this was an albino, and an unusually large specimen. I am not looking for ‘fame’, or anything like that, just curious as to what it was after all these years.

By: ce

ce — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:33:29 +0000

does it bother someone else that they killed an endangered species?

By: Travis

Travis — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 07:39:13 +0000

I just saw a what looked like a huge worm coming out of my grass (which is a bit long right now) it was hard to tell exactly because it is dark. I tried to pin it with a stick and grab it but it shot into the grass or under ground. Does anyone know what this could be? It was brown in color and fat almost like a slug but about had a worm like look. the length that I could see sticking out of the grass was about 10 inches. I was very surprised at how quickly it shot away when I touched it with the stick. My location is Bellingham WA beachfront. Is it possibly something that came from the bay? Anyway any help in explaining this would be greatly appreciated. I am extremely intrigued as I have lived in the area my whole life and have never seen anything like this.

By: LK

LK — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:56:33 +0000

Just a note, I have smelled their spit and it does smell like lilies and has other properties besides that could be documented but I will leave that particular to researchers who finally does get one to spit. They also emit a noise when accidentally jumped on when close to the surface, which is how I discovered their spit. If you want to dig around the Beavercreek area (off Decker Road) outside of Corvallis Oregon past most of the homes – out where the wild things are, you may find more although the area where I was has been clearcut since the worm spit on me.

By: James B.

James B. — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:08:11 +0000

I was disappointed that the giant worms I found last December (2010) were not the legendary Palouse earthworm, but it turns out they are a previously undescribed species.

Another of giant earthworm species of Driloleirus has been discovered in the coastal mountains of Oregon. It has been identified as a new, or at least not yet described species of Driloleirus, and DNA testing is pending. Three specimens have been found, with the longest being slightly more than twenty inches in length when crawling. They do spit a slightly fragrant liquid when disturbed.

By: TimelordSupreme

TimelordSupreme — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:14:29 +0000

Meh. The slug-eyed seafarers of Deneptulon 88 fight foot fungus before breakfast that’s bigger.

By: sandeep

sandeep — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:16:08 +0000

Jesus.!!!….finally it has been done…i have been waiting to witness this for decades…this changes everything..

By: racheal

racheal — Wed, 05 May 2010 21:20:56 +0000

how do we know they captured the right worm ? I’ll wait for DNA ! only there is non to compair . those mega- worms mat have sent out decoys.

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Mon, 03 May 2010 23:13:36 +0000

C’mon now, isn’t the destiny of the earthworm to disappoint everyone?

Common insult: “You, you, *worm*”!

Maybe fishermen, robins and gardeners are pleased with worms. Of course there will be an obscure specialty within Biology concerned with worms too. For most of the rest, not so much.

By: marissa alex izaiah giovanni

marissa alex izaiah giovanni — Sat, 01 May 2010 04:13:59 +0000

We saw a earthworm and my cousin steped on it and now it’s dead.