Many of us have noticed how many earthworms appear after heavy rains. Few people pay attention to this, but they are literally everywhere: on the road, on the sidewalk, in puddles. However, even the most curious urban naturalist did not think about why this happens, believing that he knows the answer. This is probably one of the first lessons we learned at school and we pass on to our children: earthworms come to the surface after rain because rain floods their burrows and they drown. But is this statement true?
Earthworm Theories
As with many natural stories, the real reason is much more complex than we imagine. Let's dig deeper, and we can understand what actually happens when we see earthworms on the wet sidewalk.
The truth about drowning worms
Normal school biology says that earthworms surface after rain because they cannot breathe. This theory is still being taught to schoolchildren, and you can also find many detailed explanations on the Internet. It is assumed that worm trails and air holes underground are immersed in water and earthworms cannot breathe. Of course, this statement makes sense, however, most researchers dispute this explanation.
According to Chris Lowe, a researcher at the University of Central Lancashire in Scientific American magazine, earthworms breathe through the skin and for this they just need moisture.
People drown when their lungs fill with water, but this cannot happen to earthworms, because they have no lungs. Numerous studies have also shown that most species of earthworms can survive by being immersed in water for two or more weeks.
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Recently, most popular scientific publications have debunked the myth of "sinking worms." Although, perhaps, we should not completely exclude this theory. For example, studies published in the journal Biology of Invertebrates have shown that the behavior of worms after rain depends on their species.
Oxygen starvation
Taiwanese researchers, in turn, analyzed two types of earthworms with different life histories. One species consumed more oxygen at night than during the day, and another consumed an equally lower amount of oxygen throughout the 24-hour period. Species of worms that consumed more oxygen at night did not tolerate immersion in water. Therefore, at night, when they most needed oxygen, the creepers were especially intolerant of rain and came to the surface. At the same time, worms of the second kind never came to the surface, even during rain. Their constant low oxygen consumption allowed them to better withstand immersion in water.
That is why the explanation that earthworms that you see on sidewalks and streets need more oxygen is quite appropriate. But many researchers still doubt the completeness of this theory.
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Raindrops sound like moles
We present to your attention another common explanation for the appearance of worms on the surface. It is thought that rain sounds like a predator, so worms come to the surface to escape. Moles are common predators that hunt earthworms. During the hunt, they create vibrations in the soil, the worms feel the danger and escape by running outside.
In the area of Appalachia and in some other areas there is a certain tradition called worm fuss. This manipulation involves creating vibrations on the surface of the soil using a saw or stick. This method allows you to lure the worms out, and then collect for your needs, for example, bait for fish. In fact, people imitate the sounds of hunting moles.
The theory of predatory escape suggests that a stream of raindrops is also similar to the sound made by moles. A professor at the University of Wisconsin, Thea Whitman, notes that this theory has never been demonstrated in laboratory tests. It always seemed to the professor an unconvincing argument. In the end, worms also appear after prolonged rainfall in the form of foggy rain that does not hit the ground with such force.
These are not all worms.
If the worms die due to moisture or flee from predators, you can expect a wide section of the worm population. But this does not happen. After a rainstorm, not all worms of this species come to the surface.
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The cat and the durian. Mistress gave mustachioed sniff exotic fruit: funny videoScientist Phil Nixon of the University of Illinois explained that if other driving factors were present, a large number of young worms would also be present on the surface. However, the vast majority are adult red worms with random adult nocturnal animals. When worms come to the surface with the help of electricity or chemicals, they appear much more. Thus, it is obvious that only a small percentage of adult red worms appear during torrential rains.
Just think about what is happening. You don't see young earthworms in your backyard when it's wet. If they faced certain death, they would certainly be there with all adults. That is why it can be assumed that something else is happening, except for all of the above theories.
