Yorkshire
Wonderful world of worms
A few months ago I knew next to nothing about earthworms - not a great situation to be in considering part of my job is to help groups do the OPAL Soil and Earthworm survey!
So I decided I'd better swat up. Lucy, who works for OPAL at the NHM , kindly pointed me in the direction of UCLAN Earthworm Research Group - this website has some great photographs of earthworms and some fascinating wormy facts.
The UCLAN website whet my appetite for earthworms (not literally, I hasten to add), so I got a couple of books out of the library on worms, and learnt a bit more about these amazing creatures. Did you know that they have 5 hearts? I guess this is because they are very long in relation to their thickness, and it must be hard work pumping blood all the way to their back end.
Another interesting fact is that earthworms can live for 4-6 years! Sadly the common belief that an earthworm cut in half makes two earthworms isn't actually true, and unfortunately we've chopped quite a few in half whilst doing the OPAL survey! Sometimes the head end of the worm will survive, if it hasn't been too badly damaged, and they can actually regrow some of their segments, which I think is pretty impressive!
As the ground warms up, worms become more active, so if you've not already done your OPAL survey, now is the time to get out and discover these amazing creatures!
Discovering worms at Heeley City Farm (Sheffield) with members of the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens
- OPAL Yorkshire and the Humber
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Yorkshire and Humber - local nature and wildlife activities
Take part in mini-beast hunts, photography
exhibitions, identification courses and more
We are working with communities across the Yorkshire and Humberside region, organising a range of environmental activities that are open to everyone. Visit our dedicated website to find out more.
Exploring local environments: Activity days, pond-dipping, mini-beast hunting, food forays, nature walks, photography exhibitions and more.
Nature identification courses: Learn to identify the wildlife in your area. Our courses are free and run in partnership with the Yorkshire Naturalists Union and BTCV.
National surveys: Take part in the OPAL national surveys on soil, air, biodiversity, water and climate.
Mapping: Help to map your local environment, past and present, and explore how it has changed over time.
Get involved
Get in touch to find out about events we are running, or visit our dedicated website.
See photos from previous OPAL events.
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Be the first to know what's happening in the region, learn more about our projects and join in the discussion
Upcoming events
Saturday 21 April, 2012: Earthworm ID course, Malham Tarn, Yorkshire Dales
A one-day course where you can learn all about earthworms and how to identify them. If you've already taken part in the soil and earthworm survey, this is the perfect next step.
Course is led by Dr David Jones, an entomologist at the Natural History Museum, London.
Contact us: opalproject@york.ac.uk
OPAL Yorkshire and Humber is led by the University of York.
York and Humber partners: Stockholm Environment Institute, Yorkshire Naturalists Union, BTCV