Earthworms are easily seen crawling in the mud in our surroundings, some are killed unknowingly by humans while walking on the road as well as in the gardens. They are our friends as they enrich our soil by their excreta which is a rich source of minerals that our beneficial for the crop yield. They also make the soil loose so that it becomes easy for ploughing. Earthworms are amazing we only need to pay attention towards their importance.

Earthworms belong to the Phylum Annelida and Class Oligochaeta. The scientific name of earthworm is Pheretima Posthuma. It prefers to live in a burrow made in moist soil and stays in the burrow during the day time but comes out of the burrow in the night as well as in the cloudy weather. Earthworm is best noticed during the rainy season when the soil is flooded with water. During the rainy season they are best seen crawling over the soil with their excreta scattered over the soil here and there. They make their burrows by boring and swallowing the mud with the help of their anterior ends. Earthworm feeds on organic matter and the waste material is egested out in the form of circular rings termed as castings. Earthworm is hermaphroditic but copulates in order to exchange the spermatozoa.

Fertilization and the copulation occurs inside a cocoon. The development is indirect as a larva designated as trochophore is present in the life history. It comes out from the cocoon. Earthworm possesses great power of regeneration.

Earthworm is bilaterally symmetrical, cylindrical and elongated which anterior end quite pointed. The anterior end is well adapted for burrowing. The mature worm measures about 150 cm in length and 3 to 5 mm in width. The colour of earthworm may range from deep brown to light brown. The brown colour of the worm is due to the presence of a pigmented called porphyrin which is present in the body wall protecting it from the bright and strong light. The body is well marked by 100 to 120 similar segments each separated by ring like grooves. The earthworm lacks a distinct head as well as eyes and other sensory structures. The first segment of the body is called as the peristomium which bears the crescentic mouth and prolongs into a fleshy lobe called prostomium which encircles the mouth. The mature worms bear a prominent band of dark red colour running from the segments 14 to 16. This band is termed as clitellum. The middle part of the body is demarcated by presence of ring like grooves called as the setae. The male genital pore is present on the 18th segment while the female genital pore is present on the 14th segment.

The earthworms are simple creatures easily captured. They are used as bait while fishing as they form a best food of the fishes. They also constitute good food for the aquarium fishes. Earthworms are also source of food by the tribal people. They are easily preyed by many animals like the frogs, toads, lizards, snakes. They are also used for experiments in the laboratory. Earthworms are eco-friendly creatures. They are also called as farmers friends. The burrows of the earthworms make the earth porous so the soil receives proper aeration and its water absorbing capacity also improves all this makes the roots of the plants to achieve better growth in the downward direction. Earthworms also add humus to the soil with the help of their castings and make the soil fertile leading to amazing crop yield.

Earthworms are also used s medicines in the Indian, Chinese and Japanese system of medicine. They are believed to cure diarrhea, piles, weakness after pregnancy and sexual impotency. Apart from their benefits they also serve as intermediate host in the transmission of certain harmful parasites such as tapeworm and the gapeworm of chicken and the lung nematode of pigs. Earthworms are also known to damage the roots of some plants.

It is clear that apart from their benefits earthworms also damage the plants similar to the saying that both the sides of a coin are not same. Everything is associated with something good and something bad. Earthworms are our friends we must take care of them instead of killing them.