Earthworm

Available for over a year

Whilst we might take them for granted, Aristotle described them as the intestines of the earth and Charles Darwin recognised their importance when he wrote "It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures". As Brett Westwood discovers, these 'ecosystem engineers' play a vital role in aerating our soils, aiding drainage, clearing up pollutants and, if you're a Gippsland giant and measure up to 3m in length, making themselves heard from below ground! They have also wormed their way into our literature, charmed our culture and burrowed into our language. First broadcast in a longer form: 25th July 2017 Original Producer: Sarah Blunt Archive Producer for BBC Audio in Bristol : Andrew Dawes