SOURCE:
Entomology & Nematology Dept., Bldg. 970
P. O. Box 110620
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620

Redworms, red wigglers, dewworms, nightcrawlers, earthworms, or just plain worms: everyone recognizes them, but most adults know little more about them than they did when they were about 12 years old. There are many reasons for wanting information about earthworms: gardeners want them to enhance their soil, fishermen grow them for bait, commercial growers produce more bait and use worms to recycle waste organic matter and sell the worm castings to sell as a rich soil amendment. Occasionally, someone simply becomes curious and wants to know more about the identification and biology of these most common and ignored of creatures. This report is offered to help Extension personnel give their clients some good places to start when they ask about earthworm identification, culture, pests and diseases, marketing, etc.

Online Resources:

• Beetz A. (2009). Worms for composting (vermicomposting). National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/vermicom.html (6 June 2009).
• Choate PM, Dunn RA. (August 1998). Land planarians, Bipalium kewense Moseley and Dolichoplana striata Moseley. Featured Creatures. EENY-49. http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians.htm (6 June 2009).

• Martin JP, Black JH, Hawthorne RM. (May 2008). Earthworm biology. EDIS. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN047 (6 June 2009).

• Mason WT Jr, Rottmann RW, Dequine JF. (September 2006). Culture of earthworms for bait or fish food. EDIS. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/document_fa016 (6 June 2009).
• Townsend L, Potter D, Powell AJ. (March 2009). Earthworms: thatch-busters. ENTFact: Insect Advice. http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/trees/ef402.htm (6 June 2009).

Reference Books:

• Earthworm Ecology and Biogeography in North America. 1995. Edited by P. F. Hendrix. Published by Lewis Publishers. ISBN 1-56670-053-1. The book deals with the identification and distribution of native and introduced species of earthworms and their ecological needs and effects on soil ecosystems. Hardback. 244 pp. Used copies start at $120.

• Biology and Ecology of Earthworms. 1995 (3rd ed.). C. A. Edwards & P. J. Bohlen. Chapman & Hall publishers. ISBN 0-412-56160-3. Long a standard general text on biology/ecology of earthworms. Hardback. 426 pp. Used copies start at $112.

• Soil Biology Guide. 1990. Dindal, D. L.(ed.). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-04551-9. 1,349 pp This compendium about almost everything small that lives in soil has four chapters about biology and identification of earthworms, mostly U.S.. Very expensive.