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Why Do You See a Lot of Worms after it Rains?

Why do Worms Come to the surface when it Rains?


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It has been observed that there are a lot of worms seen on sidewalks, in gardens and all over lawns and grassy areas. This observation has dated back to the Renaissance period and there was mention of the emergence of worms following rain. The primary reason is the fact that the conditions above the ground after the rain are very conducive to worms, but there are some other interrelated reasons for this behavior.

It has often been said that when it rains, worms can drown if they don’t come up from the ground. This is a myth and it has even been proven that worms can thrive for a few days when submerged in water because they are innate skin-breathers. They obtain their oxygen supply from the water itself which is directly absorbed into their skin.

The ability of worms to breathe through their skin, however, does have something to do with why they stay above the ground after a rain shower. When there is no rain, the ground above is typically dry and worms can die because they need to remain moist in order to breathe. The only time that the ground becomes beneficial to worms is after a rain when it is

Now why do worms come up to ground if the soil is already moist? Well it’s because they have a preference to mate above the ground. They are actually looking for mates when they are seen above the ground after the rain. There have even been sightings of worms gathering together and “telling” other fellow worms of their intentions. Because worms are hermaphrodites, they simply exchange sperm for fertilization.

Aside from emerging after a rain, worms also love to come out at night. This is primarily because of the cooler temperature and the often moist environment at night. Those who use worms for bait often go looking for these creatures at night time as they are abundant during this time of the day.
Oct 1st, 2012 at 8:50 PM
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