How do you tell if a worm is a boy or girl?

Examine the posterior end of the worm. Female worms are straight while males are hooked. Examine the posterior opening. A male worm has pineal spicules, or spine-like extensions, near its opening. It will also have papillae, or bump-like protrusions, in front and behind this opening.
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Can worms change gender?

Only one gene, called TRA-1, controls which sex the worm is; when a developing worm carries two X chromosomes, the TRA-1 gene is activated and the worm become 'female,' while only one X chromosome leaves the gene off, and the worm becomes a male.
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How do you tell if a worm is pregnant?

Waiting for the Eggs to Hatch

Cocoons have a hard shell that protects the eggs and developing worm babies. About the size of a grain of rice, the cocoons start out a luminescent white color. As they mature, they gradually darken, turning yellow and then brown. When they become a reddish color, they are ready to hatch.
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Do worms have different sexes?

Earthworms are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning worms have both male and female reproductive organs. During sexual intercourse among earthworms, both sets of sex organs are used by both worms. If all goes well, the eggs of both of the mates become fertilized.
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Do worms have feelings?

But a team of Swedish researchers has uncovered evidence that worms do indeed feel pain, and that worms have developed a chemical system similar to that of human beings to protect themselves from it.
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10 Little Known Facts About Earthworms



Do worms poop?

Leftover soil particles and undigested organic matter pass out of the worm through the rectum and anus in the form of castings, or worm poop. Worm poop is dark, moist, soil-colored, and very rich in nutrients. That's why farmers and gardeners like to have lots of worms in their soil.
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Why do worms turn white?

White worms themselves are completely harmless in a worm bin, but again they may be and indication that you are overfeeding, or perhaps adding too much acidic waste.
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Are baby earthworms white?

Known commonly as white worms or pot worms, enchytraeids are small (one-fourth to one inch long), white, segmented worms. These creatures are often mistaken for newly hatched red wiggler worms because of their size. However, young red wigglers are a reddish color because of their red blood.
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Do worms sleep?

Worms don't sleep on a day/night schedule like mammals. Instead, their sleep-like behavior occurs at specific stages during development; the worms enter this state each time they transition from one larval stage to another.
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Do worms fight each other?

Tiny, feisty worms that live off the coast of Japan fight by headbutting each other — and they aren't quiet about it. During these feuds, the worms emit one of the loudest sounds in the ocean, according to a new study.
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Do worms have sperm?

The male and female sex organs can produce sperm and egg respectively in each earthworm. Although earthworms are hermaphrodites, most need a mate to reproduce. During mating, two worms line up inverted from each other so sperm can be exchanged.
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Do worms have eyes?

No, not really. Instead, they have cells called receptors that can sense whether it's light or dark. This allows worms to tell if they're underground or above ground.
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Do worms pee?

This liquid isn't actually wee at all, since worms don't urinate. People are often encouraged to pour water on their worm farm as a way of getting more of this liquid, more correctly called leachate.
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Can a worm bite?

Worms don't bite. They also don't sting. 3. They are cold-blooded animals, which means they don't maintain their own body heat but instead assume the temperature of their surroundings.
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Does touching worms hurt them?

Some species can release a stinging substance. Earthworms and red wriggler worms are perfectly safe to hold bare-handed, though it's probably prudent to wash your hands before eating your next meal.
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Can worms eat cereal?

Pureeing your table scraps will make them easier to eat, which means the worms will eat more of them! What about other kitchen scraps? Leftover cereal grains are great worm food.
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How do worms get pregnant?

Worms don't lay eggs, they produce cocoons which contain multiple fertilized eggs. Earthworms are hermaphroditic, having both male and female reproductive organs. To mate worms align themselves head-to-head and exchange sperm from the clitellum (thickened glandular band at the anterior end of adult worms).
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Why are my worms going to the bottom?

The worms are heading to the bottom as they are trying to get cool. Add some bedding to the top layer (damp newspaper, cardboard) to encourage the worms upwards.
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How do I know if my worms are happy?

But how do you know if your compost worms are happy and content? You can tell that compost worms are happy and healthy if they multiply and produce compost that does not stink. The key to happy and healthy compost worms is to give them a good home, adequate food, and maintain the right conditions in the compost bin.
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Will worms eat dead worms?

They always seem to appear when conditions start to go downhill for the worms – in fact, many newcomers assume they eat worms since you will often find them coating semi-alive, and dead worms. They are actually there cleaning up the mess, and won't cause any direct harm to healthy worms.
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Why are my worms going to the top?

Thunderstorms and other rapid climate changes will force your worms to the top of their bin. Remember, worms breathe through their skin, so if they sense a chance of rain, they're going to move accordingly to keep themselves from drowning.
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Can a worm live if cut in half?

The head of the worm may survive and regenerate its tail if the animal is cut behind the clitellum, according to The Washington Post. But the original tail of the worm will not be able to grow a new head (or the rest of its vital organs), and will instead die.
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Do worms have tongues?

The short answer is no. Worms do not have tongues. Some people think that worms have tongues because certain worms do have something in their mouth that they can poke out, like a tongue. It is called a “stylet” and it looks like a needle.
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Do worms have hair?

Earthworms have tiny stiff hairs (setae) on almost every segment, and these little hairs help the earthworm move. As earthworms stretch out and then contract their muscles the setae grab the soil and move the earthworm forward.
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