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Dr. Alan Jones, Research Manager, Earthwatch undertaking field research at Whytham Woods

01 Feb

Meet the Earthworm Watch Team – Dr. Alan Jones, Research Manager, Earthwatch

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Earthworm Watch was developed by Earthwatch, The Natural History Museum and the Earthworm Society of Britain to better understand the diversity and ecosystem benefits of earthworms. Earthworms recycle decaying organic material to improve soil fertility, they aerate the soil to create space for air and water through their burrowing actions which can prevent flooding and store carbon in fragments in the soil.

Blackbird, Turdus merula with a beak filled with earthworms

30 Jan

The early bird catches the worm!

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When I was young, I became slightly obsessed with learning about birds, such that I created lists in a small notebook of those that visited my garden or parks near where I lived.

Keiron confirming an earthworm identification

25 Jan

Meet the team – Keiron Derek Brown, The Earthworm Society of Britain

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Earthworm Watch is a collaboration between Earthwatch, The Natural History Museum and the Earthworm Society of Britain. The Earthworm Society (ESB) is a voluntary organization that plays an important part in supporting scientific research to improve the conservation of earthworms and their habitats and educates and inspires people to take action to help earthworms.

18 Jan

Meet the Earthworm Watch team - Anthony Roach

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My name is Anthony and you may have seen me, along with my colleague Victoria Burton and others talking to you about Earthworm Watch at locations across the country. I joined the Earthworm Watch team last July as the Community Engagement Co-ordinator for Earthwatch. My role is to develop content and communications and organise and deliver learning and engagement events to raise awareness of Earthwatch’s projects, such as Earthworm Watch to our public audiences.

Ice worm (Enchytraeidae) with finger for scale

Chilly! - the amazing ice worm lives in glaciers
Credit: Southwick3 CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

11 Jan

Where do earthworms go in the winter?

VJBurton 0 Comment(s)

The majority of insects and other invertebrates hibernate during the winter, since they do not produce their own body heat like mammals and birds it is too cold for them to be active. However, 10cm under the ground the soil is often a few degrees warmer than the air and many soil animals are still active, including earthworms - I recently found 16 earthworms from a soil pit at a farm where the soil temperature was 4°C!