It's not just about the bees - earthworms need love, too

They may not be cute, but the work they do for our soil keeps humans in business. But their numbers are in steep declineIf earthworms had feathers, wings or fur, or eyes that looked mournful - or eyes at all - perhaps they would fare better in the public's affections. This is a clutch of species facing as much pressure as any other from the ecological abuse of their habitats as any other - yet unlike, say, bees (which have their own UN day of celebration today), the decline of worms rarely makes the news. This is a shame. We need to talk more about worms. The health of our earth may depend on it.Earthworms are not doing very well at the moment. This year, a scientific study found that 42% of fields surveyed by farmers were seriously deficient in earthworms; in some fields they were missing altogether. Particularly hard-hit were deep-burrowing worms, which are valuable in helping soil collect and store rainwater, but were absent from 16% of fields in the study. Continue reading...