Alien invaders

Asian earthworms wreak ecological havoc.

THEY’RE described as “aliens” and “invaders” intent on annihilating everything around them, but this is no Hollywood horror film. The interlopers are worms, those squishy wrigglers we’ve all been taught to welcome to the woods and garden for the good work they do. You know, they aerate the soil for better drainage; their castings – the polite term for excrement – are a nutrient-rich fertiliser; and their slimy little selves are buffet grub for birds, snakes, and other creatures.