Earthworms MIA?

This is just something I've kind of noticed over the years. (I do pay a great deal of attention to wildlife/birds/etc...)

Anyway, I have noticed that there aren't near as many, if any, earthworms as there used to be say, 20 years ago? It may seem insignificant and silly to some that I'm making this a topic-it seems a bit silly to me as I think about it and type it out-but I believe the earthworm is a very important little creature in our enviroment and the assumption on my part is that this little guy shows up less frequently in nature, should we be alarmed or concerned?

Here is a little photo of the ones who are MIA.


botit.botany.wisc.edu...

True.. I have also noticed that there are not as many birds flying around either. It's weird.

Where I live we have had above normal rain this year and I have noticed alot of earthworms out on sidewalks and driveways....more so than years past.

Originally posted by etshrtslr
Where I live we have had above normal rain this year and I have noticed alot of earthworms out on sidewalks and driveways....more so than years past.

Well,dampness is sort of a requirement for worms and slugs and such...So,...I can kind of understand why I haven't seen many earthworms down here in Texas,but I don't understand the absence of birds for about the last 2-3 years.

No shortage of Earthworms in Northern Ontario... great big 'uns too. Toronto's urban landscape is "pretty" rich with them after a good rain too. What's the rainfall been like in the area with the shortage compared to past seasons?... one thing I have noticed - there seems to be less Earthworms near high-tension power lines... on our property in the Almaguin Highlands we have plenty... go a couple miles East to the corridor with the big 100000 Volt towers that make "buzzing" sounds and hardly any Earthworms at all...

Victor K.

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth

Originally posted by etshrtslr
Where I live we have had above normal rain this year and I have noticed alot of earthworms out on sidewalks and driveways....more so than years past.

Well,dampness is sort of a requirement for worms and slugs and such...So,...I can kind of understand why I haven't seen many earthworms down here in Texas,but I don't understand the absence of birds for about the last 2-3 years.

This too I have noticed and I was going to allude that there might be a connection ie; few earthworms/few birds. Because the birds to feed on earthworms, so if there is none for them to eat, they are going to go elsewhere and over time, this could pose a problem for the enviroment.

Originally posted by etshrtslr
Where I live we have had above normal rain this year and I have noticed alot of earthworms out on sidewalks and driveways....more so than years past.

I'm happy to know this But I also live in an area where there is average or above average rainfall and yet I have not seen any earthworms. And believe me, I've been looking.

Well,dampness is sort of a requirement for worms and slugs and such...So,...I can kind of understand why I haven't seen many earthworms down here in Texas,but I don't understand the absence of birds for about the last 2-3 years.

It must be a really slow day for alot of us if we are talking about earthworms

Not to sound sarcastic but birds eat worms.....no worms no birds

Originally posted by V Kaminski
No shortage of Earthworms in Northern Ontario... great big 'uns too. Toronto's urban landscape is "pretty" rich with them after a good rain too. What's the rainfall been like in the area with the shortage compared to past seasons?... one thing I have noticed - there seems to be less Earthworms near high-tension power lines... on our property in the Almaguin Highlands we have plenty... go a couple miles East to the corridor with the big 100000 Volt towers that make "buzzing" sounds and hardly any Earthworms at all...

Victor K.

Man you guys got everything you need and nothing you don't need (maybe that's the conspiracy) all the earthworms packed up and head north

Originally posted by HarpStrings
This too I have noticed and I was going to allude that there might be a connection ie; few earthworms/few birds. Because the birds to feed on earthworms, so if there is none for them to eat, they are going to go elsewhere and over time, this could pose a problem for the enviroment.

Yeah,I was thinking that as well. I mean, I haven't seen any piles of dead birds laying around anywhere,so I assume that it is probably because there are not any worms for the birds to eat so they fly somewhere else. although birds eat a variety of things, I don't think they are likely to stay where there is a shortage of earthworms.

Originally posted by etshrtslr


It must be a really slow day for alot of us if we are talking about earthworms

Not to sound sarcastic but birds eat worms.....no worms no birds

Well I've been silent too long, it's time to let the cat out of the bag and search for the earthworm.

(on a serious note)
Earthworms do play a very important role in our ecosystem. Sometimes it's those small subtle things in life that we don't take as much notice of that cause the most damage.

I think the Earthworms may have an "Underground Railroad" North... LOL.

Victor K.

I think I'm to blame for the lack of earthworms. You see I've been doing an awful lot of fishing lately..............

Earthworms do play a very important role in our ecosystem. Sometimes it's those small subtle things in life that we don't take as much notice of that cause the most damage.

I recall reading somewhere that the extinction of species is the highest its been since the dinorsaur age.....not sure if its true but I do agree with you that earthworms are important.