Earthworms Habitat

As mentioned, the four main types of earthworms include nightcrawlers, garden worms, manure worms and red worms. There would be a great deal of difference between a garden without earthworms and the one which homes them. This is due to the fact that these creatures present several benefits for healthy growth of the plants and vegetables in a garden. Soil being the main habitat of earthworm, it gets tilled when they tunnel their way through it. This in turn gives way for air and moisture to pass easily through the soil, creating a favorable habitat for plants. The tunnels which have been created in the soil serve as reservoirs of water which plants can make use of. They also hold air which aids bacteria to break down organic matter within the soil. The castings which the earthworms leave behind, serve as natural manures and soil conditioning material. These castings favor moisture retention and improves the porosity of the soil, thus adding plant growth and preventing infestation of pests and many plant diseases.

Adaptation of Earthworms

Moist soil forms to be the habitat of earthworms, while mud, such as those found along the shore of lakes and swamps are preferred by some. Fresh or salt water bodies have soil which are favorable for earthworms, so they are also found in abundance in such places. Backyard soil and soil which is found in tree branches are also some of the common places which serve as habitats of earthworms. During the winter months, earthworms remain coiled up in enlarged soil chambers which lie below the frost line. In general, earthworms habitat include dark and damp places such as moist soil under rocks, fallen logs, dead vegetation, etc.

Earthworm Facts

Earthworms do not have eyes. They detect light with their light-sensitive organs and vibrations through organs which are touch-sensitive.

The reason the habitat of earthworms consists of moist environment is that they respire through their skin. So, they require humid conditions in order to prevent themselves from drying out. The dissolved oxygen makes its way into the bloodstream with the help of their skin which is coated with mucus.

Earthworms have no teeth and they digest their food through a type of gizzard (thick-walled muscular pouch below the crop in many birds and reptiles for grinding food).

Earthworms have no hearts, but have organs with similar function. These are known as aortic arches and earthworms have 5 of these.

Studies have revealed that earthworms are an excellent source of protein. They are also high in Omega 3 essential oil which helps in lowering down the level of 'bad' cholesterol in the body.

These creatures can move stones 60 times their body weight. Some species of earthworms, in an ideal habitat (no predators, etc) have a life span of about 10 years. Some species live for 4 years or so and some up to 6 years.

Several forms of organic matter in soil, decaying roots and leaves, and living organisms such as nematodes, protozoans, rotifers, bacteria, fungi are a part of the nutrition of earthworms.

Earthworms are hermaphroditic; they contain organs of both sexes. The mating pair overlap front ends ventrally and each exchanges sperm with the other.

Earthworms are commonly preyed upon by snakes, birds, moles, toads and even foxes. Beetles, centipedes, leeches, slugs and flatworms are also known to have these creatures in their menu.

Earthworms are capable of regeneration, however, it depends upon the type of the species and the severity of the damage caused.

Favorable conditions pertaining to the habitat of these insects, diet and age govern the size of these invertebrates. Giant Gipsland earthworms are known to attain an average length of about 1 meter. The South African giant specimen (Microchaetus rappi), about 7 meters in length was recorded to be the longest of all.

Earthworms, for most people, are known to be just like any common insects crawling on the earth and for some, mere servings for fish. What remains hidden is the fact that they are the little recycling machines of nature. They work as hard as any farmer and without any summer or winter break!