- An earthworm is a tiny, long, thin animal that lives in the dirt and has neither legs nor eyes.
2. Worms Don’t Have Lungs and Breathe Through Their Skin.
Oxygen is required by all living things. Because they lack a nose, worms are unable to breathe through their mouths. Worms have a thin layer of porous skin in place of lungs, which allows oxygen from the air to flow through. Oxygen is broken down by the mucus on a worm’s skin. Consequently, the worm bin’s moisture level must be sufficient. A worm suffocates if it becomes dry. Similar to humans, worms drown in very wet environments.
3. Worms Are Cold Blooded and Have 5 Hearts.
Because worms are cold-blooded, they can’t regulate their temperature like mammals can. This means their body temperature will be the same as their surroundings.
Worms do not have a multi-chambered heart like mammals and reptiles do. Instead, they have 5 single-chambered aortic arches (functions similar to a heart) that pump blood through their body. The 5 hearts are close to the head of the worm.
4. A worm can live up to 8 years, however, the average life span is only about 2 years.
Depending on the species, worms have a broad range of life expectancies. Some worm species can survive up to 4–8 years in a safe, stable environment. The predators of worms are numerous in the wild. A composting worm’s lifespan is typically between two and three years.
5. South African-born Microchaetus rappi is the world’s longest earthworm.
Microchaetus rappi, a South African species, is the longest earthworm. On a road between Alice and King William’s Town in 1967, a massive specimen was discovered that was 20 mm (0.8 in) in diameter and 6.7 m (21 ft) long when fully stretched.
6. The Chaetogaster Annandale is the shortest earthworm.
With a length of less than 0.5 mm (0.02 in), Chaetogaster Annandale is the shortest earthworm.
7. About 6,000 Different Types of Earthworms Exist.
Worms are present on all continents except Antarctica. There are about 6,000 species of earthworms. Earthworms are an invasive species. Their introduction can alter many different variables in the soil ecosystem.
8. They travel underground by tightening their body muscles.
Adults have the strength to push ten times their own weight in bulk. Different muscles alternately shorten and lengthen their body, creating a wave-like movement in their tube-in-a-tube body. This movement is caused by the contraction and relaxation of various muscles.
They have the ability to generate mucus that makes it easier for them to float through the earth when digging
9. Most of them are hermaphrodites.
The majority of earthworms are hermaphrodites, which means they possess both the male and female worms’ sex organs. This is a fairly amazing method of reproduction since it allows both partners to share genetic material and pass it on, basically doubling the benefits of mating.
However, some of these copulations can endure for up to 200 minutes, so it’s definitely a good idea to make the most of it.
10. They consume trash! from the soil.
Plant leaves progressively degrade as they fall off in the fall or when we compost our vegetable leftovers. Because it happens so frequently, we almost take it for granted, yet the process is actually ongoing.
Earthworms are among the most important of the many microorganisms and animals that participate in this process. Without them, leaves and other things would just lay about on the ground. This is what we often refer to as leaf litter, and earthworms love to eat it.
11. Earthworms modify soil.
The nutrient-rich dung that sits on the soil’s surface and is easily accessible to plants is produced by earthworm burrows as they mix soil layers, aerate the substrate, and break down complex organic materials. Additionally, this promotes the structural integrity of the plant-growing medium and prevents soil erosion.
They are therefore essential to the development of our plants and our food. Without earthworms, soil density would gradually rise as well, limiting roots’ capacity to breathe and absorb water.