why do worms come out in the rain?

Question

it rained alot yesturday and afterward their was alot of wor on the ground.. why/ i think i remember learing that they do it to get air.. yet they dry up and die on the sidewalk . why dont thye just crawl bck... i usally pick up hands full and bury them

Answer 1

When the worms are in the ground, the rain can saturate the ground and they end up drowning, so they come up to the surface.

Normally, as you have observed, coming above ground in the day means they get dried out, burned up and die, but when it's rainy and overcast, they can get about and dance naked in the rain.

In addition to not drowning in the waterlogged soil, this allows them to disperse to new areas faster than they can while tunneling through dirt, as well as opportunities to meet other worms and have some slippery worm sex before they go off and go eat dirt for a living again.

Because sidewalks are nice and smooth, don't have obstacles, and often gather nice sheets of water, they make good congregation points for these worm orgies.

Unfortunately, when the rain ends, worms aren't terribly good at burrowing through concrete, and unless they can get back to proper soil they get fried into worm bacon. Many of them do make it back, but as you've seen, not all of them. Sidewalks that gather puddles seem to be the worst, because the worms tend to gather in the shrinking water instead of heading out across dry land in search of soil. This tactic works well on most ground - where the puddle might actually help soften up the ground before the sun bakes the worms - but again, doesn't work well on concrete.

Answer 2

You're supposed to gather them up, grab your cane pole and straw hat and head on down to the fishin' hole and catch a big ole sack of catfish. And yes, they come up to avoid being drowned in the soil. I can't answer the why do they dry up on the sidewalk question. Guess they are about as stupid as some people who dry up and die on the crack.

Answer 3

Hello Stephanie,
Yes, you heard correctly. Worms are air-breathing creatures,
so when it rains, the water fills their domain, and they crawl
up and out so they can breath. But worms don't have brains
like we do, so they don't "think" about going back into the
ground.

Answer 4

worms are mostly water. more than humans. they come out to drink and to soak up the water through their skin. but, they're stupid, and that's why they get fried after the sun comes out!
i saved a worm yesterday too, it's good to be nice to them though.

Answer 5

I think its because when it rains the ground gets too wet for them and they can soak up too much water and drown.

Answer 6

to breath