What Do Earthworms Eat? Earthworms eat dirt! That is, they take the dirt into their mouths and it passes through their digestive system. But it is the nutrients in the dirt that remains in the worm’s body. These nutrients include, decaying roots and leaves. Animal manures are an important food source for earthworms in the […]
Earthworms: Air Displacement
Question: Why do earthworms come to the surface after a big rain? Answer: If there is a lot of rain, the rain water not only fills the burrows of earthworms but also fills the spaces between rocks and particles of soil. In other words, the rain water displaces the air between the rocks and soil […]
Earthworm: Digestive System
Question: Do earthworms really eat dirt? Answer: Yes, earthworms eat dirt. But most of the dirt eaten by earthworms moves through their body and is deposited as waste. The waste of earthworms is called casts. There is much more to the earthworm’s digestive system than just eating and pooping dirt. An earthworm’s digestive system consists […]
Ecology: Worm Bin
How to Build an Earthworm Bin Using A Plastic Container Earthworms will eat food and paper scraps. The waste from the worms–called casts–is wonderful compost to grow plants in. I started my own earthworm bin recently. My bin is a plastic container with a lid. My husband helped me prepare the container by drilling air […]