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Hi Helene & All, Apr 26, 2012
Just from observation, I think you are on the right track Helene; =
moisture related and I suspect low Oxygen.=20
Biological activity slows as soils dry out and conversely activity =
(aerobic) increases very rapidly as soils wet up, provided temperature =
is favourable. In addition, diffusion of oxygen into and within soils =
slows as gas-filled porosity decreases which of course must happen as =
soils become more wet (gas-filled pore space replaced by water-filled =
pore space).=20
Earthworms also have this strange (until you think about it) habit =
of coming to the surface in response to a thumping noise; e.g. by a wood =
turtle or by driving a springy stake into the ground and then generating =
vibrations by drawing a notched stick across it. Thus, coming to the =
surface in response to a vibration may be a reaction implanted by =
evolution; 'it is raining really hard, danger, must scramble out of =
here.'
Your earthworms would not have vibrations as a cue to exit indoor =
cultures and presumably left as soon a O2 began to drop appreciably.=20
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Helene Van Doninck=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2012 9:00 AM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Earth Worm behavior
Hi Peter, I'm no earthworm expert, but I have raised both them and red =
wigglers to feed to animals at my wildlife rehab centre. What I do know =
is if the moisture/conditions are not right, they will leave...quickly. =
One of our cultures was in the kitchen ( the red wigglers, for eating =
compost) and until we got the moisture just right, several times I came =
home to find them all over the kitchen...I kid you not. Maybe they =
don't like it too wet in the bed and try to get elsewhere?
Helene
On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 8:13 AM, <Hubcove@aol.com> wrote:
This morning I picked up about 100 live earth worms from the asphalt =
in front of the house. We have about a 50ft x 80ft parking area that =
slopes down to a brook from a small flower bed in front of the house. At =
this time of the year after fairly heavy rain dozens of worms from a few =
millimeters to about 15 centimeters leave the bed and start off across =
the paving. They are accompanied by what appear to small millipedes =
although in much fewer numbers, also some slugs that start feeding on =
some of the dead worms in the morning.=20
They certainly don't get washed out of the bed and in fact have to =
get over a lip and negotiate some pavers.
I guess my question is why they would leave what would appear to be =
a good habitat and head out for almost certain doom.
Does anyone know if this is common behavior and why they do it.
I'm thinking of going into the bait business.
Thanks.
Peter Stow
Hubbards
--=20
Helene Van Doninck DVM
Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
RR#1 Brookfield NS B0N1C0
902-893-0253
birdvet@hotmail.com
www.cwrc.net
Join us on May 12 for our Annual Benefit Concert and Silent Auction
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No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2411/4954 - Release Date: =
04/23/12
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<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.19222">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hi Helene & All, =
=20
=
=20
Apr 26, 2012</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Just from observation, I think =
you are on=20
the right track Helene; moisture related and I suspect low Oxygen. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Biological =
activity slows as=20
soils dry out and conversely activity (aerobic) increases very =
rapidly as=20
soils wet up, provided temperature is favourable. In addition, diffusion =
of=20
oxygen into and within soils slows as gas-filled porosity decreases =
which=20
of course must happen as soils become more wet (gas-filled pore space =
replaced=20
by water-filled pore space). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Earthworms also have this strange =
(until=20
you think about it) habit of coming to the surface in response to a =
thumping=20
noise; e.g. by a wood turtle or by driving a springy stake into the =
ground=20
and then generating vibrations by drawing a notched stick across =
it. Thus,=20
coming to the surface in response to a vibration may be a reaction =
implanted by=20
evolution; 'it is raining really hard, danger, must =
scramble out of=20
here.'</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Your earthworms would not have =
vibrations=20
as a cue to exit indoor cultures and presumably left as soon a =
O</FONT><FONT=20
size=3D1>2</FONT><FONT size=3D2> began to drop appreciably. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dhelene.birdvet@gmail.com=20
href=3D"mailto:helene.birdvet@gmail.com">Helene Van Doninck</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, April 26, 2012 =
9:00=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Earth =
Worm=20
behavior</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_extra>Hi Peter, I'm no earthworm expert, but I have =
raised=20
both them and red wigglers to feed to animals at my wildlife rehab =
centre.=20
What I do know is if the moisture/conditions are not right, they will=20
leave...quickly. One of our cultures was in the kitchen ( the red =
wigglers,=20
for eating compost) and until we got the moisture just right, several =
times I=20
came home to find them all over the kitchen...I kid you not. =
Maybe they=20
don't like it too wet in the bed and try to get elsewhere?</DIV>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_extra><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_extra>Helene<BR><BR>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_quote>On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 8:13 AM, <SPAN =
dir=3Dltr><<A=20
href=3D"mailto:Hubcove@aol.com" =
target=3D_blank>Hubcove@aol.com</A>></SPAN>=20
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; =
PADDING-LEFT: 1ex"=20
class=3Dgmail_quote><U></U>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT =
color=3D#000000 size=3D4=20
face=3DArial>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>This morning I picked up about 100 live earth =
worms from=20
the asphalt in front of the house. We have about a 50ft x 80ft =
parking area=20
that slopes down to a brook from a small flower bed in front of the =
house.=20
At this time of the year after fairly heavy rain dozens of worms =
from a few=20
millimeters to about 15 centimeters leave the bed and start off =
across the=20
paving. They are accompanied by what appear to small millipedes =
although in=20
much fewer numbers, also some slugs that start feeding on some of =
the dead=20
worms in the morning. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>They certainly don't get washed out of the bed =
and in fact=20
have to get over a lip and negotiate some pavers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>I guess my question is why they would leave what =
would=20
appear to be a good habitat and head out for almost certain=20
doom.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>Does anyone know if this is common behavior and =
why they=20
do it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>I'm thinking of going into the bait =
business.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>Thanks.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>Peter Stow</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT =
size=3D4>Hubbards</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR=20
clear=3Dall>
<DIV><BR></DIV>-- <BR>Helene Van Doninck DVM
<DIV>Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre</DIV>
<DIV>RR#1 Brookfield NS B0N1C0</DIV>
<DIV>902-893-0253</DIV>
<DIV><A href=3D"mailto:birdvet@hotmail.com"=20
target=3D_blank>birdvet@hotmail.com</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href=3D"http://www.cwrc.net" =
target=3D_blank>www.cwrc.net</A></DIV>
<DIV>Join us on May 12 for our <A =
href=3D"http://cwrc.net/?page_id=3D1381"=20
target=3D_blank>Annual Benefit Concert</A> and Silent =
Auction</DIV><BR></DIV>
<HR SIZE=3D1 noShade>
<A></A>
<P class=3Davgcert align=3Dleft color=3D"#000000">No virus found in =
this=20
message.<BR>Checked by AVG - <A=20
href=3D"http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</A><BR>Version: 10.0.1424 / =
Virus=20
Database: 2411/4954 - Release Date: =
04/23/12</P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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