WANDA EARTHWORM

FAVORITE ANIMAL

"Hey, Moon Bird, what is your favorite animal?"
"The earthworm,I'm glad you asked me that, Barbara."
"You surprise me, Moon Bird! I thought you would prefer something big and fierce. What's to like about a dirty, slimy worm?"
"Barbara, I am amazed that you would ask such a question! Don't you realize that the earthworm is a unique creature, vital to nature?"

"How is it unique, Moon Bird?"
"It has FIVE hearts that fill with blood and pump blood out."
"How do you know that, Moon Bird?"
"I studied about it in college biology."
"Wow! Five hearts! I don't know of any other creature with more than one heart. That really is unique! But how is it vital to nature?"

"Well, earthworms aerate the soil with their burrowing and fertilize it with their poop. This helps the plants and trees to grow. Also, the earthworm is food for many kinds of insect eaters."
"The earthworm does play a very important role in nature then, Moon Bird. But, they must not be very smart. They get stuck with all the dirty work."

"I beg your pardon, Barbara! They are smarter than people give them credit for. They showed learned behavior in a maze test. The maze was shaped like a T. The worms entered at the base. If they turned down one arm at the top of the T they would get an electric shock. The other arm was a cozy moist dark chamber. After enough shocks, the worms learned to avoid the electric shock end."
"That is interesting. I guess the earthworm is not as simple as I though, Moon Bird."

"Yes, Barbara. It acutally has a small brain and a nerve cord. The cords are connected to each other by nerves that branch to the sides in the body."
"Ooooh, Moon Bird! Do you mean to tell me that the worms can feel it when people thread them onto their fishing hooks?"
"Well, I can't swear to what a worm feels. But, they do have a nerve system."
"I'll never use worms for fishing bait again, Moon Bird!"

"You have taught me a lot about earthworms, Moon Bird. I have a new respect for them now."
"Let me tell you one more thing you probably did not know, Barbara."
"Do you mean there is more?"
"Yes. The earthworms have both male AND female reproductive organs and can cross fertilize each other. When two worms mate, they both reproduce."
"Wow! That means they produce twice as many offspring! I guess this proves that nature knows how important earthworms are. Not only are they allowed five hearts, they also have double the capacity to reproduce. I am impressed. Thank you, Moon Bird, for this wonderful teaching. Tell Wanda I will bring her a raw potato the next time I visit."
"Cool, Barbara."

There you have it. Everything you ever wanted to know about earthworms, and more! How about you? What is your favorite nature animal? We would love to know.

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