Worm charming, worm grunting, and worm fiddling are methods of attracting

earthworm An earthworm is a soil-dwelling terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. The term is the common name for the largest members of the class (or subclass, depending on the author) Oligochaeta. In classical systems, they we ...

s from the ground. The activity is usually performed to collect bait for

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but can also take the form of a competitive

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in areas such as the UK and

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that consists of approximately 38 counties. It is roughly divided into Northeast Texas, Northeast, Southeast Texas, Sout ...

. As a skill and profession worm charming is now very rare, with the art being passed through generations to ensure that it survives.

Methods

Most worm charming methods involve vibrating the

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

, which encourages the worms to the surface. In 2008, researchers from Vanderbilt University claimed that the worms surface because the vibrations are similar to those produced by digging moles, which prey on earthworms. Vibrating the soil is also a technique used by many species of birds, which devour the worms as they appear above ground. The activity is known by several different names and the apparatus and techniques vary significantly. "Worm grunting" generally refers to the use of a " stob", a wooden stake that is driven into the ground, and a "rooping iron" which is used to rub the stob. "Worm fiddling" also uses a wooden stake but utilises a dulled

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which is dragged along its top. Techniques vary from sprinkling the turf with water, tea and beer, to music or just "twanging" with a garden fork. In some organized competitions, detergents and mechanical diggers have been banned.

Non-human animal behavior

Worm charming is a behavior also observed in non-human animals, especially among birds. The methods used vary; however, tapping earth with feet to generate vibrations is widespread. One common example is the "

seagull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the subfamily Larinae. They are most closely related to terns and skimmers, distantly related to auks, and even more distantly related to waders. Until the 21st century, most gulls were placed ...

dance". The wood turtle also seems to be adapted for worm charming, as it is known to stamp its feet – a behavior that attracts worms to the surface and allows the turtle to prey on them.

Soil conditions

Worms are most commonly found in damp or wet conditions and tend to move away from dry soil. The success of worm charming can often depend on these soil conditions, with charmers choosing damp locations or using water to attract the worms.

As a profession

Worms are sold as a live bait for fishermen, and many sellers use worm charming techniques to gather their stock. In some locations professional worm grunters need to obtain a permit to ply their trade.

Competitive worm charming

In most competitions, the fiddlers with the collector (or collectors) of the most worms in a set time are declared as the winners. They usually have a zone in which to perform their charming, measuring three yards square.

World Worm Charming Championship

One of the first worm charming events took place at an English school

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at Willaston County Primary School in Willaston,

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

. The World Worm Charming Championships started in 1980 and is now an annual event, held in June. It was organised by then-deputy headmaster John Bailey, who wrote the original rules for the competition. The event claims to have originated when in 1980 a local Willaston farmer's son Tom Shufflebotham charmed 511 worms in half an hour. The current world record was established on 29 June 2009, by 10-year-old Sophie Smith of Willaston, England, who raised 567 worms during Britain's World Worm Charming Championship. There are 18 rules of this event as determined by the International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes (IFCWAP). These stipulate that each competitor operates within a 3 × 3 metre plot, may only use vibrations or music to attract worms, is not allowed to dig or use "drugs" to attract worms (including water or other liquids), may stick a garden fork into the ground and vibrate it to encourage worms and all worms must be returned to the ground once the birds have gone to roost on the evening of the event. This is to prevent a "feast" for the birds after the event. The competition returned in 2022, after missing 2020 (although a virtual event was held this year) and 2021 due to the

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Winners

Devon Worm Charming Festival

Also known as the International Festival of Worm Charming, this event takes place in the small village of Blackawton, South Devon, during the early May Bank Holiday. It has been running since 1984 and is accompanied by a

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and other activities. The genesis of the event occurred in 1983, when Dave Kelland after returning home from drinking at The Normandy Arms relieved himself in a field and was surprised to see worms come to the surface giving him inspiration for the competition. The event has been held at The Normandy Arms ever since. Unlike the World Worm Charming Championships at Cheshire, "forking" the ground is not allowed, but the use of water is.

Cornwall Worm Charming Championship

A new world charming championship was established in 2021 by local artist Georgia Gendall with the inaugural competition held in Penryn. It then moved to Falmouth as it grew in popularity. It is now known as the Falmouth Worm Charming Championship. The event in 2022 demonstrated the effects of climatic conditions on Worm Charming with a

heat wave A heat wave or heatwave, sometimes described as extreme heat, is a period of abnormally hot weather generally considered to be at least ''five consecutive days''. A heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the area and ...

leading to only a single worm being charmed. In 2024, the winning team was the Tennessee Worm Tuggers, who charmed 32 worms.

Canadian Worm Charming Championship and Festival

The Great Canadian Worm Charming Championship and Festival Canadian Competition was held at the Shelburne Fiddle Park in Shelburne, Ontario, on June 9, 2012.

American Worm Gruntin' Festival

The town of Sopchoppy,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, has held an annual "Worm Gruntin' Festival" since 2000. The event includes a ball and the crowning of a "Worm Gruntin' King and Queen". Sopchoppy is one of the settings in the 2017 novel ''Clownfish Blues'' by Tim Dorsey, in which worm grunting is a plot element.

References

External links

Associated Press video demonstrating worm gruntingThe World Worm Charming ChampionshipWorm grunting mystery solved
{{fishing rod topics Recreational fishing Animals in sport Articles containing video clips Worms (obsolete taxon) Annelids