“I am getting earthworms in my home”, states this reader in her submission. She attaches a picture of a long, pink organism, though the details of the photo are a bit muddled, so we will just have to take our reader’s word for it that this is an earthworm. “I have not determined the point of entry. I expect it is my back door, although the seal and sweep appear to be okay. I get several in the house after a rain. Help, it is gross to step out of bed next to a worm! Thanks.” First of all, it makes sense that earthworms are coming out in the rain, as that is typical of earthworms, as well as all underground-dwelling organisms. The reason they do this is because, when it rains, their burrows get filled with water, so they must rise to the surface to breathe.

Secondly, we think our reader is right in assuming that the worms could be coming in through her back door, as that is how a lot of organisms get into people’s homes: simply by ‘walking’ in. They can also come in through torn window screens or cracks in walls and floors. Alternatively, earthworms can also come up through people’s drains. They are able to do this if there is a leak somewhere in the pipes underground. To see if our reader may be experiencing a leak, she can check for the following signs: Foul-tasting or -smelling water. Changes in water pressure. Discolored water. If she thinks she may be experiencing a leak, she should contact a professional to deal with that.

Earthworms are not directly harmful to humans or pets: they do not bite, sting or secrete harmful toxins, and they are not parasitic. That said, consuming them is not safe, as they can carry disease, pathogens or parasites. So, if our reader has a pet, she should keep an eye on them and make sure they do not eat any of the worms. In any case, we think she should move any of the earthworms she finds outside.

To conclude, the best way to deal with earthworms is through preventative measures such as making sure there are no points of entry for them in the home, and by taking care of any leaks that might be occurring in the piping. We hope this helps and we wish our reader the very best!

Summary

Article Name

Earthworms Crawl Into Woman's Home and Send Her Asking for Help

Description

"I am getting earthworms in my home", states this reader in her submission. She attaches a picture of a long, pink organism, though the details of the photo are a bit muddled, so we will just have to take our reader's word for it that this is an earthworm. "I have not determined the point of entry. I expect it is my back door, although the seal and sweep appear to be okay. I get several in the house after a rain. Help, it is gross to step out of bed next to a worm! Thanks." First of all, it makes sense that earthworms are coming out in the rain, as that is typical of earthworms, as well as all underground-dwelling organisms. The reason they do this is because, when it rains, their burrows get filled with water, so they must rise to the surface to breathe.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton