How to Recognize Earthworm Eggs

Earthworms benefit the soil.

Earthworms are hermaphrodites, which mean they have male and female reproductive organs. Sexually mature worms have a band around their body, called the clitellum, which changes color from pinkish to reddish-orange when worms are ready to mate. During mating, the worms join at the clitellum and exchange reproductive material. A ring of mucus material forms at the clitellum of each worm. The worms wiggle backwards, and the mucus ring slips off, forming a capsule called an egg.

Things You'll Need

• Magnifying glass

Instructions

1. Look for egg capsules in moist slightly warm soil. Earthworms lay their egg capsules near the surface, where the ground temperature is warmer. A capsule takes on average one month to hatch, depending on the soil conditions.

2. Sift through the soil carefully. Initially, the egg capsule will be soft and milky white in color but will quickly harden and turn a light lemon color. It will turn a rusty brown color right before it hatches.

3. Use a magnifying glass. An egg capsule is slightly oval and about the size of a grape seed.

4. Hold a capsule up to a light to see the baby worms inside. A capsule contains two to 20 worms, with four being the average.

5. Watch the capsule closely. You may get lucky and see the baby worms emerge from it.

References

• Northern Alberta Permaculture Institute
• WormWqatch: Ecology

Resources

• WormWatch: Anatomy