Cupcakes frosted with chocolate icing and decorated with gummy worms may appeal to youngsters at a bakery counter, but they're not for me. Worms are worms in my book, and I like them best in my garden.

Candy worms just can't overcome squeamish memories: trying to thread night crawlers onto the hook of a fishing pole only to yell "yuk" and drop everything when the worm squirmed, and dissecting earthworms in biology with the smell of formaldehyde making me want to hold my nose rather than identify and label body parts in a lab workbook.

Come to think of it, I guess I only came to appreciate worms once I started gardening. That's when I quickly learned how important earthworms are to soil quality. Seeing them twist and turn through rich, black dirt became a sure sign that flowers and vegetables would flourish in my yard's various cultivated spots. I've come to realize that earthworms, feeding on live and decomposing organic material such as roots and leaves, transport nutrients and minerals while their tunnels aerate the ground. Maybe it's a good thing that most of us would rather not touch worms thus leaving them alone to continue their good work.

Earthworms are somewhat curious as well, with a digestive system that takes up their whole body and a double transport system for locomotion. Although most are only a few inches long, they can be up to 14 inches in length and typically live up to 6 years. Each earthworm is both male and female, therefore classified as hermaphrodites, and can regenerate some segments if damage is not too severe. Rather than any kind of skeleton, it's fluids that give their bodies form.

While real earthworms are reddish brown to blend in with the soil, it's probably a good thing the candy-making world has made them more appealing with lots of vivid colors - red, yellow, orange, blue, and green. I never cease to be amazed by how kids love gummy worms and now how today's cupcake craze is making them a popular garnish. No, when it comes to worms, I want to be wearing my best garden gloves thank you.

Here is a worm for the little ones to color in!