Make a Wormie Hotel

ALL about Earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris)

Important:

Worms become very upset if you handle them, so, please, 

 wear plastic gloves or use a soft paint brush  when you touch them!!

Earthworm facts

• Earthworms live everywhere where there is damp soil and rotting vegetation.
• They dig large burrows that let water and air into the earth.
• These burrows keep out soil healthy.
• They drag dead leaves into the earth and eat them.
• The soil and the leaves pass through the worm's body and is left in little pieces call CASTINGS on top of the ground.
• Earthworm castings help plants grow.
• AFTER a heavy rainfall, worms crawl to the top of their burrows and sometimes drown in water puddles. SO, when it rains, see how many worms you can save!

      SPECIES:

• There are over 2000 species of earthworms around the world.
• The smallest worms are about 1/2 inch long.
• The largest worm lives in Australia and can be 6 feet long!

   The Earthworm's body:

• Earthworms are INVERTEBRATES which means they don't have bones.
• Their soft bodies can be brown or red.
• They have a small brain, 5 hearts, and they breathe through their skin.
• Earthworms are blind.
• They use their tiny sensory organs to feeel things around them.
• They lay very small eggs.

YOU can build your own WORMIE HOTEL - I DID!!

      YOU WILL NEED:

•    A plastic container with a lid.
•    Make a few air holes in the bottom so that liquid can drain out.
•    Support your hotel on bricks placed inside a tray so that you collect any water that drains off.

WHAT YOU DO:

• Fill the bottom of the Hotel with about an inch of wet, 

shredded paper.

• Put your plastic gloves on and add a few worms.
• Cut up dinner left-overs into very small pieces.
• Put a layer of straw or damp newspaper over the top.
• Finally, put on the tight fitting lid so that flies don't get 

into the Hotel.

**  Check each week and make sure the soil is damp and 

there's plenty of food for the worms.

WORMS LOVE:

• Coffee grounds and wet tea bags.
• Fruit and vegetable peelings.
• Cereal, bread, and crushed egg shells.

WORMS HATE:

• Meat and fish.
• Fat or greasy foods.
• Milk, cheese, cream, rice, pasta and cooked potatoes!!

**    DON'T FORGET TO KEEP YOUR WORMIE HOTEL OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT................

BRING IT INDOORS DURING THE WINTER.