Articles About Garden Worms

Red Worms

Red worms have so many different names and spellings, that it would be tough to list them all here, but just a few of the other names and spellings for red worms include: Red Wigglers, Red Wiggler, Brandlings, Earthworms, Earth Worms, Redworms, Manure Worms, Red Wiggler Worms, Trout Worms, Compost Worms, and Tiger Worms.
Red [...]

Worm Identification

Worm identification falls under the branch of zoology dealing with insects called, entomology. According to the MSN Encarta Encyclopedia:
“Although insects were studied as early as the 4th century bc, particularly by Aristotle, the modern science did not begin to develop until the 17th century ad. The science of entomology received great impetus in the [...]

Tomato Worms

Tomato worms are one of nature’s two most popular types of hornworms. The other is the tobacco worm. The scientific name for tomato worms or the “tomato hornworm” is Manduca quinquemaculata. While tomato worms are not considered harmful to humans, they are extremely harmful to plants, vegetables, and landscaping. Tomato worms appetites’ are extremely healthy, [...]

Worm Composting

So what exactly is worm composting? In simple terms, worm composting is the process of using worms to recycle organic material and food scraps into a useful soil amendment called “vermicompost.” Vermicompost is also called “worm compost.” When worms consume food scraps, the scraps become compost as they pass though the worms body. The compost [...]

Types of Worms

There are so many worms living inside the earth that it’s impossible to list them all here. That said, there are some worm groups that are larger than others such as the earthworm and the inch worm. While there are more than 4,400 different types of worms, there are 2,700 different types or earthworm alone [...]

Bag Worms

Bag worms are interesting creatures. They grow on the inside of little bags that can be found hidden inside the bark of the tree trunks. Inside these bags, you might find hundreds, if not thousands of eggs containing bag worms (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis). The larva prefer red cedar and arborvitae but they also like apple, birch, [...]

Anatomy of a Worm

While a lizard will lose its tail as a means of protection, if a worm loses either end (the anterior or the posterior) it’s usually at the hands of a predator, an unfortunate accident or a curious human that believes the worm will regenerate if they chop it in half. Unlike lizards, the worm protects [...]

Worms and “Coiling”

There are literally hundreds of thousands of worm species in the world today and roughly 2,700 are earthworms. Although there are thousands of different species of worms around the world, worms share a number of common characteristics. Their physical characteristics are similar as well as their diet, reproduction, where they live, and defense mechanisms.
Worm [...]

The Worm Song

If you’re looking for the worm song, you came to the right place! Some of us are familiar with the Halloween worm some with the eerie background music, while others can recite the lyrics to the childhood “I Eat Worms” song on cue. Below you will find the lyrics to the three most popular worm [...]

Worms

There are more than 2,700 species of earthworms in existence today and they can be found in just about every corner of the earth. They live in trees, in bark, and under rocks as well as along rivers and near springs, and ponds. Their favorite place to live, however, is in the earth’s rich soil. [...]

Woolly Worm Folklore

The woolly worm is actually a caterpillar or the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth. The tiger moth belongs to the arctiidae family, which has 11,000 species of moths around the world. The tiger moth is a beautiful creature with bright colors such as scarlet, yellow, orange, and white and rich hues ranging from black [...]

How do worms survive in the soil?

Did you know that worms are 1,000 times stronger than humans? Did you know that worms are hemaphrodites? This means they have both male and female sex organs! Worms are amazing creatures, so these are just a few interesting facts about our cold-blooded friends. Another interesting characteristic of the worm is its habitat. Worms live [...]

The Hammerhead Flatworm

The hammerhead flatworm can reach up to 20 inches long and its body is very slimy, which allows it to move along the ground in a gliding motion. The body secretes mucus from glands on its belly or underside. The hammerhead is native to Indo-China, but it makes its way around the world by traveling in greenhouse plants.

Bagworms and Bark

The bagworm larva prefer red cedar and arborvitae above all as well as apple, birch, black locust, cypress, elm, juniper, oak, pine, poplar, spruce, and sycamore. The bagworm occurs mostly from New England to Nebraska and south through the state of Texas.

Banded Woolly Bear

While the banded woolly bear does not use its bristles for protection, it has another defense mechanism. If handled or threatened in any way, the banded woolly bear will simply play dead.

Non-Toxic Ways to Eliminate Inch Worms

Whether you’re a farmer, a gardener or a novice, you may have experienced an inch worm infestation at one point or another. More than likely the inch worm infestation caused so much damage to your crops, plants or garden that you may have resorted to poisonous chemical remedies to treat the infestation. These remedies may have been effective, but you may have concerns about the toxic nature of these chemicals. Fortunately, there are several less toxic and non-toxic ways to control inch worm infestations.

Inch Worm

Much like spiders, some inch worms have the ability produce thin delicate lines. In some cases, these thin lines are made of silk.

White and Gray Grub Worms

If you’re curious about those whitish, gray grub worms with brown faces writhing around in your grass, first of all, don’t worry – they’re harmless to humans. These grub worms are the larvae of scarab beetles, and they are known as “white grubs.�

The Tomato Worm and Its Cocoon

The tomato worm pupa or cocoon is brown, hard, and around an inch and a half long. The pupa or cocoon waits out the winter season (overwinters) and hatches in the spring.

Bait Worms

Believe it or not, the market for bait worms is huge in the U.S. and in most other parts of the world. It is estimated that in the state of Maine alone, more than 200 tons of bait worms are produced each year and in the UK, more than 700 tons are produced each year for both commercial and personal use.

The Catalpa Sphinx (Black and Yellow Worm)

The glow worm may attract the most attention when it comes to intrigue and beauty, but there is another “worm� that may attract attention for an altogether different reason. This worm is so odd looking, that one can’t help but wonder “what kind of worm is that?� That black and yellow worm that you spotted dangling from a lone leaf or making its way up the trunk of a tree is commonly called a Catalpa Sphinx. Cool name for a cool worm, huh?

Where do earthworms live?

Besides the Sahara Desert, it is unlikely that you will find large numbers of worms living in “sandy” areas, especially sandy beaches. You see, the vast majority of worms on our planet can only survive under certain conditions.

Is it a worm or a centipede?

It’s brown, it’s long, it’s shiny — so it must be a worm, right? Not necessarily. While many worms are brown in color, some can be shiny, and most are long, there are several sure signs that the animal you just found slithering around on your floor is probably a centipede – not a worm.

Tomato and Tobacco Hornworms

Tomato and tobacco hornworms are two of nature’s most popular types of hornworms. Their scientific names are Manduca quinquemaculata (tomato hornworm) and Manduca Sexta (tobacco hornworm).

Why Worms Hate Light and Heat

Worms prefer complete darkness because the light affects them in the worst way. Light does not kill worms, but if worms spend too much time in the light (typically one hour), they become paralyzed.

White Worms (Pasta Worms)

While white worms come in all sizes from small pinworms to larger worms, one of the most common white worm sightings is the variety that most resembles spaghetti or angel hair pasta.

Methods to Treat Flatworms in Your System

While the flatworm is considered the simplest of the worm groups, there is nothing simple about getting rid of them if you have an infestation. These pesky creatures reproduce at an alarming rate by simply splitting in two. There are no mating rituals and no eggs to hatch. When the flatworm splits, it immediately forms a new flatworm, and so on and so on, until you have thousands of flatworms in your system. This means that the flatworms may be feeding off of your fishes’ skin and eyes, so all of the fish in your system will eventually die.

Worm Bites

Whether you live in the city or the country, chances are you have experienced an itchy bump on your skin from a spider bite or more commonly, an insect bite. For the most part, insect bites are hardly ever serious and very rarely are they fatal. If an insect such as a fly has bitten you or a mosquito or even a worm, you can relax — chances are you won’t die from these types of bites.

Glow Worms (Arachnocampa)

If you think you can make an average every day worm glow in the dark by feeding it certain foods or poking it with a stick, think again! Not to be confused with “glow worm beetles,� glow worms have the amazing ability to produce light naturally and they can only be found in Austrailia and New Zealand.

Worm Anatomy: Tube Within a Tube

In worm anatomy, the tube-within-a tube digestive system is efficient and sometimes complex. The term is a reference to the one-way food consumption process that’s common in all annelids.

Cutworms: Damaging Pests in Gardens & Crops

Cutworms are moth larvae that can create widespread damage in home gardens and commercial crops. Many types of cutworms exist that feed in different ways to destroy various parts of plants.

Earthworms & Other Peaceful Inhabitants in the Bin

Earthworm bins are alive with activity. Many beneficial creatures, along with bacteria, molds, and fungi make it a comfortable and healthy environment.

Pot Worms: Classic Soil Inhabitants

Pot worms commonly share space in earthworm farms and compost piles. They can greatly outnumber their segmented relatives without causing any harm.

Caring for Feeder Wax Worms

Wax worms as feeders are favored by many species of reptiles and amphibians. In a cooled, dormant stage, they’ll remain viable for several weeks, but unhealthy larvae will turn black.

How to Get Rid of Worm Pests in the Garden

Worm pests in the garden can cause considerable damage. At this caterpillar stage, they are the young of moths and butterflies and have voracious appetites.

White Woolly Worm Weather Predictions and other Insect Tales

The ability of banded woolly worms to predict the weather is the basis for a popular festival. Their all-white “cousins” and a host of other insects are also part of the many truths and folklore revolving around the seasons.

Horsehair Worms

Horsehair worms often appear in water and damp soil. Also known as Gordian worms, they cause no human or environmental harm, but reach adulthood by finding insect hosts.

Stinging Caterpillars: Colorful, Worm-Like, and Fuzzy

Many people refer to caterpillars as worms. Many of the caterpillar species that sting are colorful and typically fuzzy or feature spikes to serve as a warning.

Natural Controls for Webworms, Tent Caterpillars, and Bagworms

Many individuals choose natural methods for the control of webworms, tent caterpillars and bagworms. Each worm species requires different tactics and home remedies are not always successful.

White Woolly Worms

White woolly worms look like little puffballs when resting on plants. Like other caterpillar species, they are voracious eaters. These little white woolly worms evolve into Virginia tiger moths.

Inchworms and the Trees They Attack

Inchworms move in a very distinctive style and have voracious appetites. These caterpillars are fond of deciduous trees including apple, maple, and oak.

Brownish Black Worms that Curl Up - Millipedes

In small or large quantities, small brownish black worms that curl up begin to show up in the spring. These are probably millipedes and when they appear inside, that means there’s a population outdoors.

Army Worms

Army worms are serious pests for residential turf and commercial crops. Before turning into moths, army worms have voracious appetites.

Glow Worms: green nightcrawlers are easy-to-spot bait

Nightcrawlers, a popular brown fish bait, are now sold as glow worms. The glow-in-the-dark green nightcrawler worms are quite attractive to catfish and other game species.

Tree Pests: Bagworms, Tentworms, and Webworms

Bagworms, tentworms, and webworms feed on tree leaves and can create varying levels of damage. Evergreens and deciduous trees are all at risk from infestations by these unsightly worms.

Millipedes: “Crusty, Crunchy Worms”

Millipedes are often identified as crusty, crunchy “worms.” Generally harmless, even in large numbers, millipedes often invade homes, particularly basements and crawl spaces.

Grub Worms

Grub worms, with their white C-shaped bodies, are lawn pests that are difficult to eradicate. In the larvae, or grub stage, grub worms feast on the turf’s root system.

The Wooly Bear (Wooly Worm, Woolly Worm)

The wooly bear worm is most famous for its legendary ability to predict winter weather. Also known as wooly worm, woolly worm, black-ended bear, fuzzy bear, or banded wooly bear, the wooly bear worm is actually the caterpillar (larval stage) of the Isabella Tiger Moth.

The Woolly Worm Festival (a/k/a Wooly Worm Festival)

The Woolly Worm festival (sometimes spelled as “Wooly Worm” festival) draws 25,000 Woolly Worm enthusiasts annually to Banner Elk, North Carolina to see these fuzzy, woolly worms (actually caterpillars) race.

Earthworms

So you think all earthworms are the same? Think again! There are 2700 known species of earthworms on our planet!

10 Great Earth Worm Facts

These ten great earthworm facts will convince you that the earthworm is an amazing creature. Test your own knowledge against these 10 great earth worm facts!

The Inch Worm (Inchworm)

The inchworm, also known as “inch worm”, is the larva of the moth family Geometridae. The inch worm, although cute, is considered a garden pest.

Wax Worms

Wax worms are a destructive pest. Wax worms are also a delicious treat. It all depends on your point of view.

The Glow Worm (a/k/a Glow-Worm)

The glow worm is actually not a worm at all. The glow-worm is a beetle, although female glow worms never progress past larval stage, and as they are the ones that glow, people mistake them for worms.

Meal Worms

Meal worms are among the most common worms in the home, both as they eat through your pantry, and as meal worms are used as food for pet lizards and fish.

Bag Worms

Bag worms can be a real garden pest if not kept under control. The good news is that it is possible to keep bag worms under control with just a bit of diligence.

Red Worms: Great for Vermiculture!

Red worms are among some of the best worms for composting, which is also known as “vermiculture”.

Tomato Worm Suits

The Tomato Worm suit is a nickname for a particular type of space suit invented in the 1940s. Tomato Worm suits provided a range of motion previously unavailable with pressurized space suits.

The Tomato Worm (Tomato Hornworm)

The Tomato Worm, also known as the Tomato Hornworm or Horn Worm, isn’t really a worm at all. Tomato Worms are actually caterpillars, with stripes and a “horn” on one end.


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