Worms may not be nice things to see, but they actually are very helpful creatures. A lot of people even believe that worms are the key to the future. They’re a good source of protein and they have a lot of contributions to sustainable gardening.

If you’re still not yet convinced that worms can be friends, here are six fun facts about worms to change your mind.

They really are edible – at least, some of them are.

There are specific types of worms that are actually part of certain peoples’ diets. Agave, sago, and mealworms are just some of them, and in the words of Jodie Foster in “Nim’s Island,” mealworms are: Chewy. Chewier than expected – and it’s not disgusting.

Actually, a lot of people who have tried worms describe them as nutty and creamy.

Studies have also revealed that including good worms in the diet can reduce symptoms of bowel diseases.

Worms help aerate soil.

If you have worms in your lawn, you ought to be thankful, according to the professionals at AAI Pest Control. Worms create tunnels in soil that keep the soil loose and able to absorb more water and nutrients.

Earthworms are both male and female.

This is mind-blowing, right? They produce both eggs and sperm. It’s just hard to determine where exactly the male part ends and the female begins.

They don’t have lungs – they breathe through their skin.

Worms don’t have lungs, so if you really can’t take them and you want to get rid of them, suffocating them is a solution. Sprinkle salt on them and their skin will get dehydrated. In a matter of minutes, they’ll be dead.

Despite being both male and female, they still mate.

It’s quite a weird sight, actually. They press their bodies together to exchange sperm. Afterwards, the clitellum produces a ring around the worm and it is filled with eggs and sperm before the worm crawls out. The ring drops off and shuts at the ends to form a cocoon to safeguard the development of the eggs.

The longest that most worms can grow is 10 inches.

Just imagine the relief of discovering that the long, wriggling thing on the ground is a full-grown worm instead of a baby snake.

However, the longest worm to ever live was the Australian Gippsland Earthworm, which grew to 12 feet long. It’s still better to discover a giant worm than a snake at that length.

Check out our blog to learn more fun facts. Questions? Contact us today!