Hey there! Have you ever dug in the ground and found some squirmy little friends? If you have, you probably met earthworms! These wiggly creatures are super cool and work really hard. Let’s learn more about them!
Even though you might find earthworms in the same places as insects like ants and beetles, earthworms are not insects. Can you spot the differences? Insects have six legs, three main body parts, and a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. Earthworms don’t have any of these! Instead, they have smooth skin and bodies made up of many small segments, which look like little rings. Each segment has tiny hairs that help them move.
Earthworms are long and skinny, but they’re not snakes. Unlike snakes, earthworms don’t have a skeleton. They move by squeezing their muscles, which makes their bodies thinner and longer. They use their tiny hairs to grip the soil and pull themselves forward. This helps them stay safe from birds trying to pull them out of the ground!
Earthworms have a front end with a mouth and a tiny brain about the size of a pinhead. This little brain helps them sense light and vibrations, so they know when to wiggle away to safety. Earthworms spend most of their time in underground tunnels called burrows. These tunnels keep them hidden from predators and help keep their skin moist, which is important because they breathe through their skin!
Have you ever seen earthworms on the sidewalk after a rainstorm? Rainy days are perfect for earthworms to move around. Sometimes, their homes get too crowded, so they need to find a new place to live. The wet weather helps them keep their skin moist while they search for a new home.
Earthworms eat dirt! As they move through the soil, they munch on dead and decaying plant parts like leaves and roots. They can eat half their body weight in just one day! But the coolest thing is that as they eat, they make the soil better for everyone else.
As earthworms wiggle through the dirt, they create tiny tunnels that bring water and air deep into the ground. This makes it easier for plants and fungi to grow. Plus, as they break down dead plants, they spread nutrients in the soil, which helps new plants grow. Some people even keep earthworms in their gardens to help turn food scraps into compost, a nutritious plant food made from dead plants.
So, the next time you see an earthworm, thank them! They’re hard at work helping flowers, trees, grass, and plants grow. And remember, healthy earthworms mean healthy soil, which is important for growing the food we eat!
Thanks for learning about earthworms with us! If there’s anything else you’d like to know, ask your parents to help you email us at [email protected]. See you next time!
Earthworm Observation Journal: Next time it rains, grab a notebook and head outside with an adult. Look for earthworms on the sidewalk or in the garden. Draw a picture of an earthworm and write down what you see. How do they move? What do they look like? Try to find out where they are going. Share your observations with your class or family!
Earthworm Habitat Experiment: Create a mini earthworm habitat in a clear container with soil, leaves, and a little water. Gently place a few earthworms inside and watch how they move and dig tunnels. Make sure to keep the soil moist and return the earthworms to the garden after a few days. Discuss with your friends or family how the earthworms change the soil and why they might be important for plants.
Earthworm Role Play: Pretend to be an earthworm! Use your body to show how earthworms move by squeezing and stretching. Imagine you are digging tunnels underground. What do you feel? What do you see? Talk about how you help plants grow by making tunnels and spreading nutrients. Share your earthworm adventure with your classmates or family!
