Catch some earthworms. While this idea is not pleasing for most, it is a must-do task for some students in Terrestrial Ecology. Yes, it is a task and part of a field exercise, especially for those who should use these as baits in order to catch some species of native small mammals in the forest.  However, I’ve learned that, whenever I tell students to look for earthworms around the camp, I have to warn them to look only for the relatively small species and avoid those that are as large as snakes! Seriously? Yes.

One morning, after a heavy rain an unexpected encounter caught everyone’s attention. My students caught  two-feet long earthworms as thick as an adult finger! The species must be the giant earthworms that are known to many areas in the Cordillera as pest now. Unfortunately, we do not know exactly the effects of these to the ecosystem and how extensively are they distributed. (ARIS REGINALDO)