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Think an earthworm is just an earthworm? Think again. It is a not so common
earthworm fact that there are 23 families, over 700 genera and more than 7,000 species of earthworms. They can grow anywhere from two inches to two yards, depending on the species. Even though there are many different types of earthworms, all share some basic features. Earthworms are cold-blooded, segmented worms, that are hermaphroditic which means each worm has both female and male sexual organs. They mate by joining their clitella, exchanging sperm and then forming their own egg capsule. Baby worms hatch from tiny cocoons.
Earthworms breathe through their skin and will live wherever there’s food, oxygen and humidity. Earthworms use brain for basic functions such as directing worms towards light when they sense openings in the soil. If you removed a worm's brain, it's most likely that the worm would continue functioning normally! Furthermore, earthworms have over five hearts which help them digest their food and till through the soil.
There may be more earthworms living near you than you would think—one acre of land can be home to over one million earthworms. It is also estimated that earthworms digest over half of the soil in one acre which amounts to over 16,000 pounds of soil! This process is so important because earthworms reinvigorate the nutrients in the soil allowing plants to grow more efficiently.
