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The log pile · Slugs, snails and worms
Common earthworm
Lumbricus terrestris
A long, pinkish-brown worm, darker at the head end, with a paler band called a saddle.
- Size
- Up to 25cm long
- Look for it
- All year round
- Where
- In the soil of lawns, flower beds and fields
My spotter's list
Wriggles after you, stretching and shrinking. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the earthworm
SoilIt makes the soil
Worms pull dead leaves underground and eat them. What comes out the other end is rich new soil.
DarwinDarwin's favourite
Charles Darwin studied worms for forty years, and thought few animals had done more to shape the world.
HeartsFive pairs of hearts
It has five pairs of simple hearts that pump blood along its body.
SkinIt breathes through its skin
It has no lungs. Air passes through its damp skin, so it dies if it dries out.
BristlesTiny bristles for grip
Each segment has small bristles that hold on to the burrow. That is why a blackbird has to tug.
MythCut in half, it is not two worms
The head end may survive if the cut is far enough back. The tail end never becomes a new worm.
The real thing
Photos of the earthworm
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
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Out and aboutHow to spot one
Go out on the lawn with a torch on a mild, damp night. Tread softly: they feel the vibration and shoot back down their holes. Take an adult with you.
Lend a handHow to help
Spread compost or leaf mould on top of the soil. The worms will take it down for you.
Following youLadybird
Who should follow you?
The garden
Meadow and hedgerow
Pond and stream bugs live on their own page: choosing one takes you there.
Pond and stream
The log pile
After dark
Bugs from other parts of the world live on their own pages: choose another.
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