Are you actually seeing the worms? Or is it ants?
Linda C

I agree with Linda, that really doesn't sound like earthworm activity to me. I am sure you have worms in the area, but pushing up the moss between the stones? At worst a worm would leave a pile of worm poop (great fertilizer BTW).

Possibly you have a rodent issue and they are making the mess while foraging for the worms?

In any event I am not familiar on ways to discourage earth worms, but try googling using search terms like controlling worms and golf courses. I know that golf courses are constantly doing battle with worms because they do not like the poop piles (casings) the worms make in the manicured, short grass. I am including a link to one such article, but it concludes that there really isn't anything labelled for worm control and management methods to date haven't worked very well.

Something that might work is making the earth in the area unfriendly to worms. You could try some diamatious earth in the areas you dont want them. It is a natural substance that is basically very tiny (powder), razor sharp particles that cut into anything that touches it. It is used as an insecticide on anything soft bodied. It is fine for humans and pets as long as it isn't inhaled into the lungs (so be upwind when putting it down). You would just sprinkle it into the areas you don't want worms surfacing and theoretically ( I haven't tried it) the worms would stay away from the sharp material.

Having said that I really have a hard time believing the worms are causing the damage you are seeing, I think it more likely it is something going after the worms doing the damage, but the cure is pretty much the same, get the worms to relocate. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: worms and golf courses

In rereading the damage description you gave, I am thinking rodents may not be the culprit, but birds.

If you see piles of plant/dirt debris that look 'scooped out' or 'pushed up' then I suspect rodents, but if it looks like stuff was pulled up and tossed haphazardly then I suspect birds.

I have a section of an older brick patio that has sunk- earthworms have been under it for so long, they've eaten all the dirt. There are earthworm castings piling up where there are breaks between the bricks. And if I lift an edging brick I often find LOTS of teeny tiny earthworms.

Thanks for the advice! I know it is definitely earthworms. At first, we thought it might be ants, but then realized that the piles of dirt we were seeing were earthworm castings. I could see some worms wriggling around in there, too. So I watered the cracks between the pavers with the hose, and sure enough, multitudes of earthworms came up - I mean LOTS! Big ones, babies... I caught all that I could and put them up into the raised beds (where we do have a lot of worms, too). Didn't really make a dent. Either they come back down from the beds or there are just a lot of them under the patio.

I'll give the diatomaceous earth a try...maybe use it on one section and see if it makes a difference.

either that or go into the worm selling business ;-)

If you have that many worms I am really envious. Do you live near a forest or other area where tons of organic matter get deposited on the ground regularly?

No, it's an urban backyard, in a block of row houses. But I do put down a lot of compost each year in the flower beds, and there were worms in the soil when I moved in. They would come into the basement whenever it rained. I'm happy to have them - just wish they wouldn't dig up the patio.

Tracey, maybe you could tell your robins to come over to my house :)

This might not be a solution for you, since you don't want to kill the worms and I know a lot of the members here might not like the idea but.... I had a terrible problem around my kitchen porch with those little hard shelled bugs that curl up in a ball when you touch them. I'd step out on the porch and hear them crunching as I stepped on them and then they started coming in the house... Way to icky for me to handle... Now I don't like to use chemicals, at all, but I HAD to do something about them...

Years ago I saw that they use borax in ant traps and instead of buying traps I used the borax I had in the laundry room and it worked great on the ants! I knew the borax wouldn't harm my pets or any children in the area ( if they eat a huge amount it might give them diarrhea but noting more ) so, I figured I'd try it for the crunchy bugs. It worked!

The first time I used it I just sprinkled a little around the base of the porch, it worked but it was a bit messy, not going exactly where I wanted it... ( got rid of the earwigs too! ) About 5 years later the bugs came back but this time I mixed up a solution of water and borax and poured that around the porch and it worked just as well... I don't remember the exact amounts, just make sure the borax has desolved... Now I just use it to wash the porch once every year or so and I haven't seen any bug there in a long time...

Rita

Borax will kill bugs....but is also toxic to humans and can be absorbed through damaged skin.
And it's better to use the powder rather than dissolve it....that way the bugs carry it on their feet to others in the nest.
Linda C

Here is a link to borax that you might read for further information on its uses and toxicity. It is very safe unless you have children or pets.

The two ingredients that attract the worms are your rich soil and moisture content. Do away with one or the other, whichever is easiest.

When I have applied insecticides to control grubs, it has never affected earthworms in my soil. I don't know what borax would do to them.

If you will have to go to the trouble to repair your paving stones, try digging out several inches of dirt underneath and put sand in its place, and maybe an inch of gravel under the sand.

Here is a link that might be useful: US Forest Service use of borax

Hmmm, I learn something new every day but today I learned a few things... Didn't know it could be absorbed through damaged skin. And I was told diarrhea was the only side effect of eating it, didn't know swallowing 5 to 10 grams can cause shock and death in a child or pet... They don't tell you that on the box of 20 Mule Team Borax... lol

Thanks Linda C and ElGrillo!

Thanks, all, for the ideas and links!

Meanwhile, does anyone want any worms? ;)

I'm on my way jscanlin... LOL

Got any bait shops in your area or aquairum shops? Perhaps they'll buy them from you.... LOL. Hey, a few bucks always comes in handy and it's a good job for the kids... LOL

Rita

I have a solution for you! My problem was similar to yours. I have a small patio for a large lawn swing underneath 2 large Norway maple trees. It was left undisturbed for 25 years and by now the cracks between the 2 ft. square pavers were about 4 inches high with dirt, plus grass and weeds growing rambunctiously thereon. I cleaned off 2 squares. On one, I dug out an extra 3/4 inch of ground and filled it with used cat litter. (clumping, therefore sodium bentonite kind) On both, I planted moss which I had scraped out of my grass. The very next day the square with just the moss was completely uplifted with worm castings! For the first time I looked closely at the soil and realized it was all worm castings. For 5 days I watched and although the moss turned brown and seemed to die on the cat litter, not a single worm casting appeared! I've been experimenting with used cat litter and used it here to try to prevent weeds from sprouting in the cracks. Eureka! Preventing the worm castings was MUCH better. So now I've re-done that entire patio with 3/4 inch of cat litter in the cracks. I really like the look of moss there so I went to the woods and brought home 3 kinds of moss. Some have a thin layer of roots and soil. Some have a thin layer of roots and bark; so we'll see if any kind survives. The original moss I tried had no roots or soil and it survived on the bare ground but got heaved out with the worm castings.

It is definitely earth worms on my paver patio! I don’t want anything but the product that Was used to fill in the cracks .. moss would not look good for my area. I have paver sidewalks this did not happen to. The patio with the problem is under an upper deck but with a good 15 foot above the patio and still plenty of sun.