The Earthworm 

Lumbricus terrestris

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There is no doubt that the earthworm is a very precious animal USE IT BUT NEVER ABUSE IT!!!

For the Angler

Keep all worms out of bright light. Worms are very sensitive to light especially blue and ultraviolet light, the sort of light you get from the sun in the spring and summer months. Never leave worms exposed to the sun for more than a few seconds or they will start to excrete coleomic fluid and become limp and lifeless. Limp worms are not attractive to fish and are difficult to keep on the hook. There is also a theory that the coleomic fluid they excrete in order to protect themselves is very bitter and as such puts fish off.  

Second to keeping worms out of the light keeping them cool is the next most important thing to do. Ideally they should be kept at 5°C. A small fridge would be ideal but if this is not possible an area of cool concrete, on the garage floor is the next best thing. When you are out fishing if possible take a picnic cool-box to keep them in. Remember though they do need to breathe so let the lid off from time to time

Worms hate vibrations so don’t take them on any more car journeys than is necessary! Vibration is how worms detect predators so constant vibration is constant danger so far as worms are concerned.

Never store next to maggots. Maggots excrete large amounts of ammonia and ammonia is deadly poisonous to worms. If you have a bait-fridge then try to keep the worms as far away from the maggots as possible. Even better don't share the same space between the two. If you do have problems try putting "cat litter" next to the worms to try and absorb any ammonia.

People are always tempted to feed worms. My recommendation is don't. If kept cool worms will survive for weeks without food. As the worms are in a fairly stressed environment they are unlikely to feed anyway and any food given is likely to rot and sour the worms bedding. The best way to freshen worms is to change their peat but if you do this be sure only to use Sedge peat and not Irish moss peat.

Occasionally you may need to dampen the worms bedding, do so lightly. The bedding should never be wet but damp; you will be surprised how dry the bedding can be before you will have a problem

This is my life story by A. Worm

The earthworm has many virtues and should not be taken for granted: its burrows, aerates the soil. The earthworm has no lungs but breathes through the integument which remains moist by means of glands in the skin which continually produce mucus.
The earthworm moves by a succession of contractions. By contracting the circular muscles and retracting the bristles the anterior part of the segment advances. Then by contracting the longitudinal muscles and extending the bristles the segment is shortened by pulling its posterior part forwards.
This saprophagous animal burrows and creates a multitude of tunnels down to two metres in depth by swallowing earth and feeding on the organic matter and dead leaves contained in it.

The earthworm possesses both male and female organs:
Although earthworms are hermaphrodites they have to mate to reproduce. To do this the two worms overlap head to tail and a slime tube is secreted around them by the clitella's. The sperm of the other worm is stored in the seminal receptors in segments 9 and 10. The egg cocoon is also secreted by the clitella's. The worm slides the cocoon forward and the sperm penetrates as it passes over the 9th and 10th segments. Fertilization takes place in the cocoon. The young emerge as small but fully formed earthworms.

The most active period for the earthworm is autumn when flowers, fruit and leaves decompose with the increasing humidity. During this period earthworms attack debris which is dragged down into their tunnels where it decomposes.
It is easy to understand the importance of the earthworm in soil biology because of the enormous density of worms contained in it (up to 4 million individuals per hectare and 4000 km of tunnels!). In this way up to 250 tonnes of earth per hectare are ingested, and expelled in the form of faecal matter which then evolves very rapidly through microbial action.
By tunnelling and moving the earth upwards the earthworm contributes to the aeration and drainage of the soil. This avoids compacting and run off and favours the rooting of plants with a ready supply of water. Increased porosity also helps the sun to penetrate and dry the soil. Elements such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and sulphur which are necessary for plant life, are moved up to the surface.

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