Wriggle room

Around 6000 species of worms, from 20 families, exist in the world, with eight families found in Australia. A mix of native and introduced species live in soils and leaf litter, under logs and stones and in trees. There are even a few species that inhabit desert regions.

Generally, though, worms prefer undisturbed heavily vegetated, moist locations where cultivation is minimal. The activity of worms in your soil brings many benefits, including the following.

WHAT WORMS CAN DO FOR YOU

Nutrients

The increase in nutrient availability occurs because worms feed on plant debris such as leaves, grasses and dead roots as well as soil — and even manure. The digestive system of an earthworm concentrates the organic and mineral constituents in the food they eat. The worm castings (waste) are richer in available nutrients than the soil around them, and the nutrients are