In spring, with warming - in wet weather, many wonder why earthworms crawl out in the rain. And the most compassionate among us try not only not to step on animals in trouble, but also to benefit from them.
Vermicolleagues and just guests, good day!
We’ve heard so many assumptions about the reasons for the appearance of numerous earthworms on asphalt and other artificial surfaces of sidewalks and roads - during and after rain.
But strangely enough, I have not yet come across an exact scientific basis for this. And there are a lot of speculations, sometimes contradicting each other - from funny to pseudo-scientific :
- take a walk to your heart's content,
- get drunk from the heart,
- to make love,
- excess oxygen
- lack of oxygen,
- afraid of drowning in a hole,
- bask in the sun,
- take a breath of fresh air,
- the sound of drops was mistaken for a mole,
- migrate to new spaces,
- a toxic environment has formed in the mink,
- too high concentration of cadmium,
- inappropriate acid-base balance,
- raindrops create vibrations in the ground, this is especially noticeable on asphalt areas, because the drops hit the asphalt like a drum . On grass-covered ground, this effect is not as noticeable.
Worms crawl to the surface to avoid drowning
Expert opinion
Valentin Lukashev
Former entomologist. Currently a free pensioner with a lot of experience. Graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Leningrad State University (now St. Petersburg State University).
Have you ever wondered why earthworms are found on the surface of the soil after rain? I became interested and decided to consider several different points of view. I will present them to your attention.
Worms are not afraid of water.
This version is the simplest and most popular among ordinary people. It consists in the fact that water fills all the holes and tunnels in the ground, and the worm climbs up so as not to suffocate. This theory has not been confirmed by scientists, since earthworms do not have lungs.
Oxygen enters the body of worms through the surface of their thin skin and therefore these animals are not at all afraid of water . They can stay under water for 1-2 days without any problems, so short-term flooding of a mink with rainwater does not frighten them at all.
Zubakin's house 
After or even during rain, it is common for us to see an earthworm, snail or slug on the road. But what makes them climb out onto the asphalt? I went through the Internet and realized that there is no 100% answer. But there are many different assumptions. Some of this may very well be true. Further, for simplicity, I will simply call worms/slugs/snails worms (many theories, of course, refer more to them, but still I think snails and slugs have not gone far). So:
- For a long time it was believed that earthworms crawl to the surface of the earth after rain so as not to drown in holes filled with water. But that's not true. After all, these animals breathe through their skin, and this process requires moist soil. Worms can even survive several days completely submerged in water. But who knows - maybe some individuals are allergic to water
