1. Massive agricultural development in the Palouse prairies of eastern Washington state nearly killed off this native earthworm. Reports suggested that the … Giant Palouse Earthworm Photo by Chris Baugher. Found only in a critically endangered ecosystem known as the Palouse prairie, a storied giant was long thought to be extinct. The giant Palouse earthworm has fascinated scientists for decades after long being written off as an extinct creature. Discovered in … Reports suggested that the worms had a penchant for spitting and smelled like lilies, further enhancing the myth of the earthworm in the agricultural Palouse region on the Washington-Idaho border. Reports suggested that the … The giant Palouse earthworm has fascinated scientists for decades after long being written off as an extinct creature. Only four sightings have been confirmed in the past 30 years, and experts had feared the species was extinct. It can burrow to a depth of 15 feet (4.6 m). The giant Palouse earthworm or Washington giant earthworm (Driloleirus americanus, meaning lily-like worm) is a species of earthworm belonging to the genus Driloleirus inhabiting the Palouse region of Eastern Washington and North Idaho, in the United States.The worm was discovered in 1897 by Frank Smith near Pullman, Washington. ... to help identify areas frequented by giant Palouse earthworms. Giant Earthworms You know, I think this guy could stay extinct - it's been said that the Giant Palouse Earthworm can grow up to three feet in length. The giant Palouse earthworm has fascinated scientists for decades after long being written off as an extinct creature. Reports suggested that the worms had a penchant for spitting and smelled like lilies. The giant Palouse earthworm has fascinated scientists for decades after long being written off as an extinct creature that once lived in the Palouse region of the Washington-Idaho border. Only a handful of sightings have been reported since the 1970s. The giant Palouse earthworm has fascinated scientists for decades after long being written off as an extinct creature that once lived in the Palouse region of the Washington-Idaho border. Once feared extinct, the giant Palouse earthworm, reputed to grow up to three feet long and smell like lilies, has been found alive. The giant Palouse earthworm, a big white worm native to the Palouse prairie region of Idaho and Washington state, was said to be abundant in … University of Idaho graduate student Yaniria Sanchez-de Leon is apparently the first person in nearly two decades to find a specimen of the giant Palouse earthworm.