12 Wiggly, Wacky Facts About Worms

Worms are tiny, squishy, and kinda mysterious, but they’re doing amazing stuff right under our feet! They’re way more than garden goo—they’re ancient, multitasking compost machines with quirks that’ll make you laugh and say, “Wait, worms can do that?” Prepare for twelve hilarious, squirm-worthy facts about these little soil heroes! You will never look at them the same way.

1. Worms Love Dog Hair

Do you have extra pet hair floating around your house? Your worms will eat them up (literally)! Turns out, hair is like protein-packed pasta for worms. Toss in a bit of your furry family’s fur, and you’re treating them to a delicious, high-protein meal they’ll wriggle with joy over. Just don’t expect them to bark or sit in return.

2. The Older the Manure, The Better

Does your worm bin need a pick-me-up? Give it the good stuff: aged manure from horses, pigs, sheep, chicken, etc. Worms have discerning tastes and think aged horse or cow manure is the crème de la compost. Fresh manure is way too “spicy” for them, but the old stuff? That’s pure worm happiness. Give it a little spritz of water before you toss it in, and they’ll be practically high-fiving each other in worm glee.

3. Too Much Food? Just Add Carbon

If your worm bin starts looking like the floor of a messy kid’s room, don’t panic—just add some carbon. Worms need a balanced diet of “browns” (carbon-rich stuff) and “greens” (food scraps). Shredded paper, cardboard, and dried leaves are perfect. They keep their bin balanced and it also reduces funky smells. When in doubt, just throw in some cardboard!

4. Paper Products Are a Worm Buffet

Worms are huge fans of paper. Give them shredded newspaper, cardboard, toilet paper rolls, or paper towels, and they’ve hit the jackpot. It’s like every crinkly, pulpy bite of cardboard or paper is their idea of a Michelin-star meal. Plus, it helps you get rid of that mountain of junk mail. Win-win!

5. Worms Are Hermaphrodites—But They Still Need a Date Night

Worms are born with both male and female parts, but they’re not self-reliant in the romance department. They still need a snuggle partner. And when conditions are perfect, they throw wild parties! An adult worm can produce 2-3 tiny, lemon-shaped cocoons each week that hatch new baby worms. If things get rough, they just put a “pause” on reproduction and wait for better days. Now that’s family planning!

6. Freeze Your Scraps

If you want to get the garden gold as quickly as possible, freeze your food scraps! It breaks down the cell walls, so when they thaw, they’re like a soft, soggy feast that worms absolutely love. Frozen scraps also help cool down the bin on hot days, like giving worms their little compost A/C. Fancy, huh? Another benefit: if you have too many scraps, don’t overfeed your little wiggly friends. Freeze some instead.

7. Worms Have Been Around Before Dinosaurs

Forget dinosaurs—worms are the real ancient survivors. They’ve been hanging out underground for over 500 million years, quietly munching and pooping their way through history. They’ve survived ice ages and asteroids. When you have worms in your garden, you host some of nature’s toughest little recyclers.

8. Worms Have Five Hearts

Five hearts, people! FIVE. Worms might be unable to write you a love letter, but they have heart(s) in spades. Cold-blooded and heart-filled, worms use all five to circulate blood through their segments. This keeps them ready to eat, wriggle, and turn trash into treasure. It makes you wonder if they have a favorite.

9. Worms Have No Teeth

Despite having zero teeth, worms are absolute food-processing machines. They swallow bits of soil and grit, which acts like a blender. Everything they eat gets “chewed” up in their gizzard, allowing them to break down organic material into fine, crumbly compost. Who needs teeth when you’ve got grit?

10. Worms Are Basically Little Vampires

While worms don’t have eyes, they’re super sensitive to light and absolutely hate it. Sunlight can harm them, so they’ll instantly burrow deeper to avoid it. Next time you see worms diving into the soil, imagine them with tiny capes, yelling, “The light! It burns!” You don’t need to worry about garlic or crosses, though.

11. Some Worms Can Get Giants

Most garden worms are a few inches long, but certain species go big. South Africa has worms that can grow up to 10 feet. In contrast, Australia’s Giant Gippsland Earthworm casually stretches over 10 feet! These giants make your standard Red Wigglers look like wiggly little pipsqueaks.

12. There are Over 6,000 Species of Earthworms

There are over 6,000 different varieties of worms all over (or under) the earth. Red Wigglers are composting pros while deep-diving Canadian Nightcrawlers are built for aerating soil. Each species has its own personality (as much personality as a worm can have) and plays a unique role in the garden ecosystem.

Wrapping Up

Now you know that worms are way cooler than they look. They’re ancient, multi-hearted, light-dodging, paper-loving machines that quietly power up your soil and turn waste into rich compost gold. They might not look like much, but these slimy superheroes are essential for any garden to thrive. Next time you see a worm wiggling in the dirt, give it a little mental high-five! They’re doing the dirty work that keeps gardens, plants, and ecosystems going strong.