It's official ...

A group of worms is called a Squirm

Did you know that worms have 5 hearts!
Did you know that a worm can eat ½ it's body weight each day!
Did you know that worms can live up to 10 years!

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Red Wigglers in your back yard composter can significantly increase the compost process.

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What's so special about Red Wigglers?

Red Wigglers (Eisenia foetida) are from the same family as the common earthworm or Night Crawlers (Lumbricus terrestris) you see on your driveway after a rain. An important difference, and the main reason Red Wigglers are preferred vermiculture specialists, is that Night Crawlers like to draw food down into burrows (up to 6 feet deep), whereas Red Wigglers prefer to eat on the go. Being top feeders, Red Wigglers scavenge for food just 6" - 12" below the surface, making them perfect for a composting environment.

No bones about it!

Did you know that worms do not have any bones. Their bodies are made up of hundreds of small rings called 'Segments'. They move by manipulating each segment with tiny circular muscles beneath their skin. They secrete a slippery fluid that let's them move easily through the earth.

No eyes, no ears, but lots of heart!

Worms do not have eyes or ears but are very sensitive to light. They generally avoid bright sunshine. Each worm has 5 hearts, so you gotta love them! Their bodies are sensitive to movement and vibrations. It is hard to sneak up on a worm. Worms usually know when people are near simply by the vibrations they make by walking.

Cold-blooded

Worms are cold-blooded creatures, their body temperature is determined by their surroundings. Red Wigglers are most active when the temperature is kept between 16° - 28°C (60° - 80°F). They become sluggish and eat less when the temperature falls out of this range.

Worm sex

Worms are Hermaphrodites. That means that each worm has both female and male sex organs. You may have noticed a swollen area about 1/3 the way down the length of some worms. This area is called the Clitellum. The presence of this section signifies that the worm is sexually mature. Worms will join together tightly to exchange sperm. Each worm will collect sperm from a partner and then store it for a few days. This time lag is to ensure that worm's own sperm dies off before fertilization takes place. Eventually, the sticky substance around the Clitellum will harden and form into a cocoon. The worm will back out, sliding the cocoon over its head. Eggs and sperm are deposited in the cocoon as it passes along the worm's body. The cocoons (or egg sacs) are deposited in the soil to incubate. Each cocoon can contain up to 20 fertilized eggs, the average is 2 - 6. After around 3 weeks the cocoon will hatch and the baby worms will emerge, hungry and ready to eat.

Find out how to setup and maintain a Vermicomposter.

 

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