How Big Is The Giant Palouse Earthworm? UPDATED 4/30/10

Well, the giant Palouse Earthworm, Driloleirus americanus, meaning lily-like worm is really big! It can be over 3 feet long, is albino-white in color and reported to smell like a lily...it was last reported to be last seen in 2005 in Washington State, in the Palouse region in Eastern Washington. It has also been seen in Idaho , and was discovered in 1897.

   This Giant Palouse Earthworm was thought to be extinct, with only 4 sightenings in the last 30 years, but burrows down deep ...down to 15 feet, and can withstand the summer heat by its burrowing ...then conserving it's body's water. It was reported to be commonly seen in the Palouse grassy lands in the 1880's.

Photo from http://www.palouseprairie.org/invertebrates/palouseworm.html
JA ROSE-BARTLETT, 'WORM GUYS'  http://www.wormguys.com/
UPDATED 4/30/10.... TWO giant Palouse Earthworms were found yesterday in Idaho.  Here's a link to the story, reported in Science News...     http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/04/29/Researchers-find-rare-giant-western-worm/UPI-82771272572467/