Ideas Why everything you thought about earthworms is wrong
Mar 30, 2026
Mike McTavish, a conservation scientist who studies woodland soils, and Joshua Steckley, a political ecologist and author of The Nightcrawlers, dig into surprising worm stories. They trace worm introductions with colonization, explain how worms help some farming practices but harm northern forests, and unpack when worms signal healthy soil or signal deeper change.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Everyday Views Split Between Gross And Helpful
- Public perception often splits between disgust and the belief worms are always helpful for soil.
- Interview clips show kids calling worms 'yucky' or saying 'they make the soil good', highlighting mixed folk views.
Earthworm Benefits Depend On Context
- Earthworms are not universally beneficial; their impact depends on context such as soil condition and land use.
- Peter Groffman explains they help compacted soils and composts but can accelerate carbon loss and nitrous oxide in well-managed agricultural soils.
Earthworms Arrived With European Colonization
- Northern soils in Canada and the U.S. historically lacked earthworms after glaciation until Europeans introduced them.
- Joshua Steckley describes ship ballast and imported soil, plants, and cocoons as pathways that brought earthworms to new landscapes.