As we worked on our project we learned many different things about worms. We learned about why they are so important for the Earth and why having them is necessary. While doing this project I had a few more questions. While searching for worms, we had a few spots where we went near water.  We realized there are no worms in the dirt that is near the water. Worms are an organism that can not drown and prefer damp soil. I would like to learn if this was because of the type of water we we experimented with? Or was it because of the type of soil by the water? If I did this project again, I would look at the different variables that could possibly affect why worms chose not to stay by soil that is near the water.  We also noticed that almost all our soil was loamy sand yet worms were not found in the soil. Is there something else in the soil keeping the worms from choosing to stay there? I would look at chemical and physical properties of the soil. We also did do the experiments in the same space yet we don’t find worms in all of it. If the soil is the same why do worms chose a certain area than another. Is it because of the type of vegetation in the area? Is it the other types of bugs and species in the area? There are many questions that we have thought about since we started the project. If I were to do this project again there are a few things I would also think about the weather and area of the location. Is it sunny? Did it just rain? Has it been a while since it rained? Is it in the shade? What time is it? I would also look at how much of the land is changed by humans? Is it near a building? Are there chemicals that aren’t supposed to be in soil in the soil? All these things could have affected where the worms chose to stay. Although we will not be able to get all of them, we can try to. This will help us better understand worms and keep them healthy and safe, especially as our global climate shifts.

Fun Facts

• Most earthworms are European because the number of native earthworms began to dwindle around the start of the ice age.

• Breathe through skin

• Worms have no legs no eyes

• There are about 2,700 different species of worms

• The largest worm on record is the Australian Gippsland 

• Charles Darwin spent 39 years studying earthworms more than 100 years ago.

• Worms are cold-blooded animals.

• Worms can eat their weight each day.

• Worms are hermaphrodites. Each worm has both male and female organs. Worms mate by joining their clitella swollen area near the head of a mature worm and exchanging sperm. Then each worm forms an egg capsule in its clitellum.

• Worms have five hearts

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Citations

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