Earthworm Mystery

Controlling pests of bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
User avatar
foxd
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:30 pm
Location info: 21
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5b/6a Bloomington, INElevation: 770-790 feet

Earthworm Mystery

Post by foxd »

During the Summer I put a number of plants out on the deck and I've noticed earthworms in the soil in the pots. Since most of the plants are raised from seed, there are no earthworms in the potting mix used and the shelf on the deck is about five feet from the ground, how do the earthworms get into the pots? Do earthworms have some sort of climbing ability I am heretofore unaware of?
Southern Indiana.
My Bamboo List.

The legal issues that will arise when the undead walk the earth are legion, and addressing them all is well beyond what could reasonably be accomplished in this brief Essay. Indeed, a complete treatment of the tax issues alone would require several volumes.
Alan_L
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:13 pm
Location info: 81
Location: St. Louis area

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by Alan_L »

Was it sterile, new potting mix? Does the mix have any soil in it or is it soil-less? If it had any compost or soil in it, maybe there were earthworm eggs in it.
gaz rogers
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 9:20 pm
Location info: 0
Location: West Devon
United Kingdom

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by gaz rogers »

You guessed right earthworms can climb, at night when the weathers wet here I've seen them climbing the walls on the patio. I've always wondered how they did it, very slowly I guess. Nature don't you just love it!
User avatar
David
Posts: 1495
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 6:42 pm
Location info: 30
Location: Middle Tennessee (Murfreesboro) USDA Zone 6b/7a Record low Jan 1966 -14*F Frost free April 21-Oct.21
Contact:

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by David »

Dan,
I raise earthworms for composting, and feeding to rescued reptiles. They can certainly climb smooth moist surfaces, but don't do as well on rough surfaces. I would think that perhaps you had an egg case (they hold 4-5 eggs, and are shaped like a concave discoid) in the soil potting soil. I was surprised at how mobile they can be. (:-=-=-=-=-=-=----
David Arnold
Middle Tennessee Bamboo Farm
USDA zone 6b
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by needmore »

Or perhaps they are not earthworms as you originally suspected??? :shock:
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
User avatar
foxd
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:30 pm
Location info: 21
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5b/6a Bloomington, INElevation: 770-790 feet

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by foxd »

I use Miracle Gro potting mix which I would expect not to have earthworm egg casings in it. Then again, I have bought bags that have taken on considerable water, so it is not impossible that an earthworm has crawled through a hole and laid eggs in the bag. :?
Southern Indiana.
My Bamboo List.

The legal issues that will arise when the undead walk the earth are legion, and addressing them all is well beyond what could reasonably be accomplished in this brief Essay. Indeed, a complete treatment of the tax issues alone would require several volumes.
Lizz
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:06 pm

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by Lizz »

I had the same issue, then later caught on to the night time crawlers. . . sneeky!
tallgrass
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 12:19 am
Location: Anderson, Ca.

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by tallgrass »

I have to clean our rain gutters a couple times a year and there are always earthworms in it
User avatar
David
Posts: 1495
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 6:42 pm
Location info: 30
Location: Middle Tennessee (Murfreesboro) USDA Zone 6b/7a Record low Jan 1966 -14*F Frost free April 21-Oct.21
Contact:

Re: Earthworm Mystery

Post by David »

Tallgrass-

Those are skyworms which unlike their earth bound kin develop small but powerful wings that are able to propel them into gutters and other elevated safe places. Their wings soon fall off, and they begin breeding in the high places. The sounds you hear coming from your gutter and thought was a bird are really the sounds of skyworms getting busy. When the female is sure that she is impregnated she consumes the male with relish or some other topping in order to nourish her developing eggs. Simultaneously she develops a small parachute type growth around her torso, and jumps unharmed to the ground from the high place of breeding. There she lays her eggs beneath a warm layer of leaves, and goes in search of another sucker, I mean mate, to begin natures wonderful cycle anew. Just thought you might want to know. BTW they are endangered so you are not allowed to clean your gutters until they have jumped.
David Arnold
Middle Tennessee Bamboo Farm
USDA zone 6b
Post Reply