A massive earthworm identify by an English nurseryman has writhe its way into the United Kingdom ’s phonograph record books . AsNational Geographicreports , the 16 - inch worm — nicknamed Dave — hold the proud distinction of being the longest annelid ever record in the UK .
A mankind named Paul Rees , who be in England ’s Cheshire County , observe the book - breaking louse in his vegetable plot . European earthworms typically range from around eight to 10 in in length , but this one was truly exceptional . In addition to being around half a base longer than your average annelid , it weighed almost an ounce — well-nigh twice the weight of any other recorded furious wiggler . ( Prior to Rees ’s uncovering , the world ’s large cognize earthworm was a Scottish worm detect in 2015 that tipped the scales at half an ounce . )
Rees ’s stepson , George , christened the insect " Dave , " and it was sent to experts at the Natural History Museum . Emma Sherlock , a Life Sciences conservator who chairman the Earthworm Society of Britain , “ was bowled over by the sizing of the worm when I launch the charge card box they send it in , ” shesaidin a insistency firing .
fit in to Sherlock , Dave weighed the same as a small chocolate bar , which begs the question : How did this special earthworm get to be so bighearted ? Dave may have had time on his side . Nobody knows quite how long wiggler live ( some have survived up to six years in enslavement ) , but they have so many natural vulture that they typically do n’t survive long enough in the great out-of-doors to reach Dave ’s tremendous proportions .
Dave may have ticktock the survival odds , but that did n’t stop over him from being sacrifice in the name of skill . The phonograph record - breaking annelid was kill and keep , and will go on display as part of the museum ’s worm collection . ( societal media users have expressed their grief by creating a Twitter account,@PoorDaveTheWorm , and using the hashtag # davetheworm . )
That being say , a few of Dave ’s orotund cousins might still be lurk in Rees ’s garden , improving the soil with every squirm . “ With worm this sizing , Paul [ Rees ] must have an incredibly fertile and well - drained veg plot with disintegrate matter quickly recycled back into the soil , ” Sherlock enjoin .
[ h / tNational Geographic ]
