Earthworm – the soil-maker, without whom we’d struggle to feed ourselves

Through sheer force of numbers and extraordinary evolutionary adaptation, the common earthworm is capable of shaping the entire world around us. Composite: Guardian Design/Alamy

The people have spoken and the choice of Guardian readers for the final nominee for UK invertebrate of the year is resounding: all hail Lumbricus terrestris, the common earthworm.

The common earthworm – also known as the lob worm, dew worm, nightcrawler and, in Germany, the rain worm – is the soil-maker. Without its labours, we would struggle to feed ourselves.