Earthworms

[JNJ]

Hmmm...I dunno about this one. As the author of the article notes, there are a number of species of plants and animals that are suffering as a direct result of the earthworms eating the fallen leaves and such. I would expect that most will adapt however.

If enough colonies form though, this has an obviously multplicative effect. It is definitely an interesting problem.

I'm not quite sure why the original poster has such an issue with earthworms, especially in farms and gardens, but this article certainly does not support his assertion that earthworms are such evil creatures.

Either way, I'm still hitting the local bait shop in the next few weeks to get some earthworms for my new perennial bed. :)

James

[John Savage]

Wouldn't the earthworm eggs get widely distributed by rainwater runoff and soil carried on vehicles and the roots of transported seedlings and on the muddy hooves of native, feral, and introduced animals?

[simy1]

I do not know - good question though. It is a fact that there are places in this country and Canada which are earthworm-free.

[John Savage]

I'd expect to find no earthworms in soil with little humus, such as in clay regions, or sandy or rocky soil where there is little vegetation to contribute humus, or soil where there is insufficient moisture.

[Pen]

That's a good point. How do we know that worms are exotic? Just because there are areas without worms doesn't mean worms were solely imported during the colonial times.

I agree that worms can cause erosi> I'd expect to find no earthworms in soil with little humus, such as in

[simy1]

no, what you have is that there are european and american earthworms south of the Mason-Dixon line, but only european - or nothing - nortn of that. That line is also the glaciation line during the last Ice Age. Obviously, earthworms north of there were exterminated.