Red Worm (Red Wiggler)
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Red Worms blind?
Red worms are born without eyes because nature decided there is no need. They do have a light sensor, as their skin is very sensitive. Bright light is a major irritant to the red worms. They will scurry about and bury deeper every time bright light appears. It is fascinating to observe anglers using a flashlight when searching for night crawlers since the light makes the night crawlers burrow deeper underground. However, red light draws much less sensitivity to the red worms. In a red light you can easily observe the behavior patterns without disturbing the red worms. A sheet of red cellophane buffering light from the red worms makes it possible to observe them.
Where is a Worms mouth?
The first anterior segment is the origin of the red worm’s mouth. The prostomium is the small bulging orifice at the tip of the mouth. This orifice protrudes upon the red worms feeding. Locating the food source is the job of the prostomium.
Dissolving food becomes a problem for the red worm because the lack teeth. It is with the internal muscle action that all food is ground.
Exactly How Food is Ground
Only very tiny morsels of food particles will enter into the red worm’s mouth. Patiently the red worms wait as the microorganisms break down and soft the food making it more palatable. The red worms possess a very powerful gizzard capable of breaking down many types of foods without harm to the red worms. Particles of food mixed with top soil, limestone, and sand ingest at the same time. Internally the muscle action breaks the food particles down even further and mixes the food with internal stomach juices or liquid.
When Food Leaves the Gizzard
Enzymes within the red worm’s intestine mix with the food even further. During the process of dissolving food particles, molecules pass into the blood stream through the intestine where it is most in need. The end product is the castings that pass through the red worm made of undigested material such as top soil, sand, plant residue, and bacteria.
Can a Red Worm Cut in Two Survive?
This will really depend on where the severing of the red worm occurs. When a red worm posterior region or the tail separates the likelihood of re-growing the tail is very possible. There are rare occasions when a duplicate tail will grow alongside a defective tail. However, the posterior of the red worm is incapable of growing a new head or anterior.
Red Worms Die When Old
The red worms living and thriving within the worm box will die when reaching the end of their lifespan. There bodies decompose at a very rapid rate since they are seventy-five percent to ninety percent water. When you do come across an unusually high amount of dead red worms in the worm box it is important to detect the cause. One of the causes of fatalities is temperatures higher than eighty-four degrees. Another cause of death is the acidic foot waste and an over abundance of salt. To put this difficulty to rest means replacing the old bedding with new bedding. When the red worm death rate is not severe, but noticeable try removing a portion of the old bedding and adding new bedding.
Red Worm Lifespan
The red worm has a very short lifespan so living, thriving; a dying in the same year is very common. This is the reason why searching for red worm eggs and newly hatched red worms is important for the success of your worm box. Think about what the red worms are exposing their bodies. Hot and cold temperate extremes, dryness, and other hazards all play a role in their lifespan. However, under healthy conditions the Eisenia Foetida will flourish up to four years.
Do Red Worms Require Air?
Red worms do require air to survive just as most living beings do. Through the red worm’s moist skin tissue oxygen disseminates. This includes the inner most concentration level within the red worm to the greatest concentration of oxygen on the moist outer layers of the skin. The bodily processes of the red worm also diffuse carbon dioxide through the skin layer. Carbon Dioxide circulating throughout the red worms systems from higher concentration to a lower concentration, releases into the surrounding bedding. This is the desirable exchange you want to occur within the worm box through a constant supply of fresh air in the bedding.
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