This is the time of year when nightcrawler activity can become obvious in your lawn. Nightcrawlers, a type of earthworm, become active as soon as the weather warms up. They feed at night on organic matter in the soil and deposit castings, i.e. soil and waste material, on the soil surface. These casting can become hard and can make a lawn uneven and sometimes difficult to walk on. Still, in the big scheme of things nightcrawlers are just a nuisance.

In fact, nightcrawlers are very beneficial. They help break down thatch and other organic matter and mix and recycle nutrients back into the soil. Their tunneling greatly helps water and air penetration into the ground. When there is an imbalance between the presence of organic matter and its breakdown, this can lead to an increased amount of thatch. An excessive thatch layer reduces water infiltration, decreases the penetration of pesticides and fertilizers, and can make turf grass more susceptible to heat, drought, and plant diseases.

[@From : http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/YGLNews/YGLNewsMay12008.htmlon Mon Apr 05 2010 20:56:03 GMT+0100 (GMT Daylight Time)]

Many people go to great lengths to implement vermiculture into their gardening plans while others will go to great lengths to try to destroy the creatures to maintain their perfectly manicured lanwn.  I love the fact we have a good supply of worms in the garden, especially in the potager to keep nourishing the soil.