The following are some of the interesting earthworms facts that we may not know:

1) Do you know that they are about 6,000  species of earthworm in the world? But only 2 types of earthworm creature are popular for composting mainly  the European Night Crawler and The Red Wiggler or Brandling Worm.

2) Worms are invertebrate creature that they do not have any bones in their body. But they do require calcium as part of their healthy diet, which could be in the form of crushed eggs shell.

3) Earthworms do not have limbs. To help them move in the ground, they use their long and circular muscle alternately.  The alternate squeezing and stretching of the muscle get them moving in the ground.

4) Their excrete or droppings which is popularly known as worm casting is highly nutritious in that they contain the most essential organic nutrient vital to the healthy growth of plants and vegetation.

5) They like to live in a damp and dark soil environment. That is why you would likely find them under the rotten and dead leaves, the stones and rock, fallen branches or logs. Some would prefer to live in the animal manure such as horse or cow manure where food is abundant.

6) They produce cocoons which contain several eggs inside them. The  cocoon may contain up to 5 eggs, and maybe more. The cocoon looks like a tiny lemon shape object in which the sperms and eggs of the earthworms are fertilised.

7)The baby worms when hatched are self-sufficient, that the parents  will not tend and look after them like most animals do.

The worms do not like acidic food such as orange peel, citrus fruit and pineapples and will run away from this type of food.

9) Given the right weather condition and enough food, worms can eat  foodwaste which is about half their own body weight daily.

10) In a favourable and suitable environment, an earthworm can live for many years maybe 4 years. But under natural environment, they may live up to 2 years as they are exposed to extreme weather conditions, lack of food and predators.

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About the Author:
Shaz Green is an earthworm farming enthusiast and an enjoys helping others in this amazing hobby. For more information on great earthworm facts and earthworm farming and composting guide, please visit http://www.earthwormcompostguide.com
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