Feeding Habits
Nightcrawlers are anecic, which means that they dig temporary burrows in the soil, and pull litter off the top into the burrows to feed. This is different from other types of earthworms, who feed simply by finding food while moving through the soil.
Nightcrawler Success
The ideal soil temperature for nightcrawlers is 68 degrees F (20 C), and the ideal moisture level of soil is 30 percent. These conditions allow nightcrawlers to grow and reproduce best. Keeping their bodies immersed in these conditions is important, as earthworms dry out easily. Nocturnal feeding allows them to avoid changes in these conditions best.
Range & Habitat
This worm is common throughout Europe, and has been introduced in many other countries. It can now be found around the world, in temperate forests, grasslands and even lawns.
Benefits
The special way of feeding that nightcrawlers exhibit allows them to put more litter into the soil than other types of earthworms. This allows it to break down faster and add nutrients to the area.
Considerations
There are certain locations where these worms will come out more often than others. They may also come to the surface on especially humid or rainy days.
