… A recent study conducted in an aspen forest near Barrier Lake, Alta., found that insect populations had dropped significantly as a result of an overabundance of earthworms — an invasive species in North America. The researchers found that in areas with the highest mass of earthworms, there were 61 per cent fewer individual insects, 18 per cent fewer insect species and a 27 per cent reduction in the total mass of insects on average. …Findings showed that earthworms are a formidable foe for many insects when it comes to food and habitat resources in the studied forest, said Dr. Jochum, particularly those that must compete with them to eat the dead plant and animal material found on forest floors. …policymakers also need to consider earthworms when managing natural ecosystems, which includes taking care to ensure developers are mandated to implement checks-and-balances that consider potential earthworm spread.