Nature Net News
April
2007
Wondrous Worms
“There is
nothing pleasanter than spading
when the ground is soft and damp"
John Steinbeck
Dear Reader, They’re misunderstood, used for human benefit, and have captured our imagination for years. What are they? Worms! Those wiggly warriors that surface after a downpour are actually hard at work most of the year – aerating the soil, making compost, and feeding generations of animals. There’s a lot to learn from this ‘lowly’ creature, and we hope that this month’s edition of Nature Net News will help you do just that! From where to look for worms to intriguing worm facts, we hope you’ll learn more about the wonderful world of worms and appreciate their role in nature. Enjoy! Kathe & Betsy |
Worms are neither male nor female - they're both? So, a worm needn't wait to cross paths with a particular worm to reproduce - when two worms meet, they each create a cocoon filled with eggs. Get the full story from Herman the Worm.
What to
Do This Month:
Look for earthworms surfacing and enter your observation into
Nature Net's Earth
Alive.
Learn about vermicomposting and make a worm bin to compost your kitchen scraps.
Keep your eye out for robins, who like to hunt worms.
Celebrate Earth Day and National Environmental Education Week with Nature Net's Earth Day Bouquet of Events April 15-22.
Observe TV Turn-off Week and get out and enjoy spring!
Check out the Nature Net Calendar of Events for fun family programs.
Tricks of the Trail for
Parents:
Worm Wrangling
Having trouble finding worms? Because they dry out quickly (it can take
only an hour), worms prefer dark, moist places. Turn over a medium sized rock or log and you might find a worm lolling underneath. But be quick – once the sunlight hits them, they may wriggle away. Or, put an
uninflated red balloon over the end of a flashlight (the red light will allow you to see, but will not bother the worms) and look for worms under rocks and logs in the night. Study them for a bit but remember to return them to their original home!
And keep in mind, most worms will not appear in your yard until
spring temperatures return and they can safely migrate back.
Worms migrate? Yes, can you think where from? Find out from Journey
North, the wildlife migration specialists.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
The Importance of Being
Earthworm
Though to some it may be a bit unnerving to think of a million or more
worms per acre going about their business right below our feet, worms are
undeniably one of the most important animals on
earth. Known as
gardening allies thanks to their knack for decomposition, soil churning and aeration, worms also
help supply soil with a hearty dose of nitrogen (dissolving your need for
store-bought fertilizer). All plants require certain
nutrients to keep cellular and bodily functions performing well, including
nitrogen - which some plants can absorb from the air (nitrogen-fixers) and
some cannot. Enter the worm. As worms undertake the task of
eating dead matter and grinding it up in their digestive tract, it is mixed
with enzymes and beneficial bacteria. What's left over and deposited
as droppings - or castings - is a dollop of perfectly balanced (pH) and
shaped soil, chalk full of nitrogen which slowly seeps into the earth -
just the way plants desire.
Interestingly,
while the
great worm-work of nitrogen cycling and decomposition is beneficial in agricultural systems,
it actually
works against the balance of nutrients in a hardwood forest. In fact,
many scientists argue that earthworms are not native to the northern Great
Lakes region and Canada. Find out more from
Wisconsin Natural
Resources magazine. Or find out what you can do to help researchers
and stop the spread of non-native worms from the Great
Lakes Worm Watch.
Still need more info to get over the "eeew" factor? Check out Worm World from Discovery Kids' Yuck website or make a "Worm Castle" with tips from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's EEK webpage. You may also discover a likable worm among the 1,300 varieties of worms in the phylum Annelida (which means segmented body) thanks to the Animal Diversity Web.
Eco-Exercise:
Worm Wriggle
A worm has no arms or legs and must wriggle to get from place to place.
Just like you and me, however, worms
use their muscles to get around. Try your own worm wriggling by
finding a soft spot and imagining life as a worm. How would you get from here to there? Wriggle around and see life from worm’s eye view. How fast can you go?
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Madison
School Forest
The Madison
School Forest, also known as the Jackson School Forest after
"Bud" Jackson, encompasses 307 acres in the hilly terrain
southwest of Verona in Wisconsin's unglaciated Driftless Area. The forest
includes the Olson Oak Wood State Natural Area, a prime example of a
Wisconsin southern dry forest with remnants of pre-settlement days. Other
ecosystem examples included in the Madison School Forest are the Jerome
Jones Pine Plantation planted by Madison School District staff and
students, and an open field area. 75 acres of old farmland was purchased by
the Friends of the School Forest in 2001. Over 40 species of birds live
and nest in the School Forest, with many more migratory birds that can be
observed seasonally. A rustic camping area features a kitchen, nature
center, shelter, four sleeping cabins, and restrooms with access for
people with physical handicaps.
As a special place of natural biological diversity, the Madison School Forest offers a unique site for MMSD students to experience and learn environmental education. The Madison Metropolitan School District is proud to be a steward of such a remarkable resource -- and welcomes you to come, learn, and enjoy!
Map to the School Forest.
Worm
Refrigerator Cookies
Though some cultures - and many animals - may eat real worms for a yummy snack,
we recommend these tasty worm look-alikes, made from common pantry staples
that require no baking:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
Preparation: Combine the peanut butter and the powdered milk until blended. Stir in the honey, cocoa, vanilla, nut and raisins - in that order. Roll you mixture into small worm shapes. Place the worms on wax paper on a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until very firm.
(Adapted from Sherri Osborn's recipe on About.com)
Suggested Reading:"Richard Scarry's Lowly Worm Word Book" by Richard Scarry (ages 2-5)
"Diary of a Worm" by Doreen Cronin (ages 2-8)
"The Life Cycle of an Earthworm" by Andrew Hipp (Local author) (ages 4-8)
"Wonderful Worms" by Linda Glaser (ages 4-8)
"An Earthworm's Life" (Nature Upclose) by John Himmelman (ages 4-8)
"Wiggling Worms at Work" (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) by Wendy Pfeffer (ages 4-8)
"Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up & Maintain a Worm Composting System" by Mary Appelhof (ages 6-adult)
"There's a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm's Story" by Gary Larson (ages 6-10)
"I'm Going to Pet a Worm Today: And Other Poems" by Constance Levy (ages 9-12)
