Megan's Nature Nook
Nature Notes, Phenology, Photography, Fun Facts, Trips, Maybe Even a Bad Joke or Two... and More!
A few days ago, I saw an American Robin pulling out some worms from the newly thawed ground, and now today the ground is covered in snow again. That got me thinking, what do worms do in the winter? How do they survive? Do they even survive?
In North America there are over 180 species of earthworms, which is just a small portion of the 6,000 species found around the world. Not every species of earthworm spends winter the same way, but most can be placed into two categories. Many earthworms spend their winters far underground beneath the frost line. Once temperatures start to dip below freezing, worms burrow their way down to below the frost line where the soil stays at a constant temperature. The worms may have to burrow down as far as six feet or more, especially in areas farther north such as Alaska. At the bottom of their burrows, the worms have small nesting chambers that they line with a slimy mucous. This mucous helps to keep their skin from drying out. As temperatures warm up in the Spring, they will make their way back to the surface. If cooler weather, or let’s say an April snowstorm happens, the worms will burrow back down until temperatures warm up again. Not all worms spend their winters underground, others don’t brave the cold at all and instead lay eggs then freeze and die once temperatures reach freezing. The eggs are in a protective sack that keeps them from freezing or drying out. Then in the Spring when temperatures are constantly warm enough the eggs will hatch starting the process over again. Once the snow melts, again, the birds will be looking for a tasty treat as worms emerge from their winter burrows. And soon new baby worms will be hatching! Keep your eyes open as you’re playing in your garden this year for those garden helpers!
0 Comments
|
Blog Updates:
If you would like to receive a notification when there is a new post, please fill out the contact form under the "Get in Touch" page. About MeHi, my name is Megan. I love spending time out in nature and learning everything I can about it! Enjoy my blog and want to support my writing? Buy me a tea! Click the button below - Thank you!
Categories
All
Archives
June 2023
|