Economic Impact
Various species of worms are used in vermiculture, the practice of feeding organic waste to earthworms to decompose and compost food waste. These are usually Eisenia fetida (or its close relative Eisenia andrei) or the Brandling worm, also known as the Tiger worm or Red Wiggler, and are distinct from soil-dwelling earthworms. In the tropics, the 'African Nightcrawler' Eudrilus eugeniae and the 'Indian blue' Perionyx excavatus are used.
Earthworms are sold all over the world. The earthworm market is sizable. According to Doug Collicut, "In 1980, 370 million worms were exported from Canada, with a Canadian export value of $13 million and an American retail value of $54 million."
Earthworms are also sold as food for human consumption. Noke is a culinary term used by the Māori of New Zealand, to refer to earthworms which are considered delicacies for their chiefs.
Read more about this topic: Earthworm
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