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Spring showers don’t just bring flowers. They also bring earthworms! Have you ever noticed how many worms emerge from the ground after a hard rain or thunderstorm? A lot! Today, with help from AccuWeather.com, we explain what those squirmy ground dwellers are doing out of their natural habitat.
The answer to this question is not what you may think. Earthworms do not come to the soil’s surface to save themselves from drowning. In fact, because they require moisture to breathe through the skin, worms can survive underwater for several days.
There are two likely explanations for this wormy question.
Dr. Chris Lowe, Lecturer in Waste and Environmental Management at University of Central Lancashire in Preston, United Kingdom, told AccuWeather.com, that the rain allows earthworms to safely and quickly make their way from one place to another.
“It gives them an opportunity to move greater distances across the soil surface than they could do through soil," said Dr. Lowe. "They cannot do this when it is dry because of their moisture requirements."
Another possibility is that the raindrops create vibrations similar to predator vibrations.
"Rain can set up vibrations on top of the soil like mole vibrations," Josef Gorres, professor of the University of Vermont's Department of Plant and Soil Science, told AccuWeather.com. "Similar to how earthworms move upwards and out of the way when predator vibrations are felt, they could move in a similar way for rain vibrations."
Another earthworm predator that uses vibrations to unearth worms? Fisherman. According to AccuWeather.net, fisherman coax worms from their burrows by running a piece of steel or a hand saw across the top of a stake causing it to vibrate.
So, next time a storm rolls through Indiana, be sure to take a close look at the ground afterwards and count! How many worms can you find that came out to play in the rain?
Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why?" questions? Catch up on all of the past "Whys" on Pinterest or the blog!
