Some of the disadvantages of earthworms are that the earthworms alter the physical and chemical properties of soils, changing the pH, nutrient and water cycles, and disrupting symbiotic relationships between soil fungi and roots (mycorrhizas).
The problem with excessive earthworm castings is that they are actually too full of nutrients.
When there are too many earthworms in the soil that a lawn grows from, their castings will actually start to burn the lawn due to the overabundance of fertilizer.
Zombie worms are as big as 1 to 3 inches (2 to 7 centimeters) in size.
The Osedax worm, also called “zombie worms”, are specialized in eating the hardest parts of a whale carcass: the bones.
These incredible worms have no mouth nor stomach and survive entirely on the bones of fallen animals, especially whales.
Worms do have organs as well as tissue and sexual organs.
Worms and earthworms all have long, narrow bodies without legs and they also have tissues, organs, and organ systems.
Worms do have buttholes which are also known as the anus.
The worm is able to poop out of their anus.
Earthworms eat things such as animal manure, decaying roots, decaying leaves and even soil.
Earthworms also eat living organisms such as nematodes, protozoans, rotifers, bacteria, fungi in soil and they will also feed on the decomposing remains of other animals.
Earthworms multiply and reproduce by rubbing up against each other exchanging sperm which allows them to produce cocoons.
These cocoons can contain as many as 3-4 worms each and can hatch anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months depending on conditions.
Worms are born through cocoons.
Worms reproduce by joining their clitella (the swollen area near the head) and exchanging sperm.
Worms are hermaphrodites, having both male and female organs.
After mating, each worm will form an egg in its clitellum. After 7 to 10 days, the egg is released into the castings.
You can tell if a worm is a boy or girl by examining the worm.
Female worms are straight while males are hooked.
Examine the posterior opening.
A male worm has pineal spicules, or spine-like extensions, near its opening.
The worm will also have papillae, or bump-like protrusions, in front and behind this opening.
Earthworms are hermaphrodites, meaning an individual worm has both male and female reproductive organs.
Earthworm mating typically occurs after it has rained and the ground is wet.
Worms also known as an earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida.
They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan; they are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation; and they usually have setae on all segments.
They occur worldwide where soil, water, and temperature allow.
Worms breathe through their skin, aided by the layer of mucus that they secrete.
If their skin dries out, they die.
Earthworms increase soil aeration, infiltration, structure, nutrient cycling, water movement, and plant growth.
Earthworms are one of the major decomposers of organic matter.
They get their nutrition from microorganisms that live on organic matter and in soil material.
When the rain hits the ground it creates vibrations on the soil surface.
This causes earthworms to come out of their burrows to the surface.
Earthworms find it easier to travel across the surface of the soil when it is wet, as they need a moist environment to survive.
Earthworms are the foundation of a healthy, thriving garden.
Called “nature's plows,” earthworms' tunnels improve soil aeration and drainage, making it easier for plant roots to penetrate the earth.
Earthworms' casts also improve soil structure and nutrient availability—which increases garden productivity!