APPLETON, Wis. -- Wisconsin officials have confirmed an invasive worm species has been discovered in Appleton.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources forest specialist Linda Williams tells Post-Crescent Media (http://post.cr/YXIBvA ) Thursday that the Asian crazy worm was found within city limits.
She says the DNR is creating a team of experts to advise policymakers on the Asian crazy worm problem.
Scientists are concerned about how the foreign species could affect Wisconsin's forests. Williams says the worms devour nutrients from soil and forest floors and leave no nutrition for other species.
Officials confirmed the state's first case of the worm last fall in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum.
The worm has been found in the eastern and southeastern parts of the U.S. for 50 years.