Worming Their Way Through Life (Press, 27 May 1988)

In an article by Irene Thompson published on 27 May 1988, the fascinating reproductive habits and ecological significance of earthworms are explored. Earthworms, which are primarily bisexual and spend their days searching for mates, attract each other by laying trails in the soil. They can lay eggs every 14 days, hatching approximately 20 young. Despite the diversity of worm species, they do not interbreed. Dr Sylvia Richards from Keele University sheds light on their prolific breeding habits. The article highlights an unusual discovery by Alan Ward, who found a record-breaking 180 cm worm in his Wiltshire garden, which is now preserved at the British Museum. This specimen is notable alongside the giant Gippsland earthworm from Australia, which is nearly three metres long and listed as endangered by the World Wildlife Fund. The article notes that the South African giant earthworm is the longest, growing up to seven metres. Worms are vital for gardening, as they aerate the soil through their ongoing tunnelling. They contribute significantly to the ecosystem, working alongside ants as crucial soil organisms. In recent years, worm farming has become a profitable industry, where worms are used to produce sustainable fertiliser from organic waste. These worms digest materials such as kitchen leftovers or animal waste, excreting nutrient-rich compost. Typically, a worm farming kit costs around $500, and farmers can expect a high return on investment due to the compost they produce. British Earthworm Technology is a company that adopts this approach by purchasing the compost and worms from farmers and returning a portion of the worms to them for continued breeding. The article also recounts a humorous incident involving city officials in Cologne, West Germany, who borrowed a million Chilean earthworms for an ecological project. While the worms successfully converted city waste into compost over a year, they ultimately burrowed away when it was time to return them. The farm demanded the original worms plus their progeny, leading to a hefty financial dilemma for the city. Additionally, the story mentions the training of 50,000 green worms in London before their deployment to North Yorkshire moors to rehabilitate fire-damaged grazing land. This illustrates the versatility of worms and their capacity to contribute to environmental restoration projects. Overall, the article emphasizes the crucial role of earthworms in agriculture and ecological health, detailing both their biological traits and their economic impact.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand