Kitchen Garden Forum

It's gone a little spooky on the K.G, everyone seems to have disappeared.

Now when i was over the allotment digging at the weekend, a young lad asked me how worms see where they are going, i told him that they more feel their way round than see. He then said well how do they feel their way round because they haven't got any hands.
Well that threw me completely, i told him i would try and find out for him.
So is there a way of explaining in young boys language so he understands.

Hi OH

I think i would explain it by telling him that the worms body is made up of many small muscles that expand and contract enabling it to wriggle forwards. These muscles are very sensitive and therfore the worm is very aware of its surroundings.

I don't know if he will accept that but i think it sounds quite plausible!

hello OH, I've just popped in to see what's new this afternoon, and I have to say, that question has got me too! I have no idea how to explain that one! Kids eh?

Hi O.H.I was thinking the same as you, it was like one of those western scenes with the tumble weed blowing down past the saloon. (there ought to be an emoticon for that!)
Re the worm problem I reckon your lad has picked the most difficult question re worms,but I found this site which basically says they have a small tongue like lobe (called a Prostomium dont you know.)which they use as a sensor.Also sensory receptors in their skin which they use to feel their way along.
http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormw ... atomy.html
probably better if you direct him to the site! I had great fun with the virtual worm.All the best S.T.

Thankyou all for the replies, and am i glad i didn't try and make something up to bluff my way out of the question, kids seem to be so clever these days i would have been bound to have got caught out.

Well that link has opened my eyes to the underground activities of the humble worm, i can now annoy my friends with the technical names of the different parts of worms, if i can pronouce them that is, i better not get them wrong or they will think i'm being very personal.

Thanks again.

Hmm...if he has prostomium problems, does that mean he won't know whether he's coming or going? Sorry - one of those days!
Vivien

Please Vivien get a grip, although it was rather funny.

Hi

We have children from our local infants school come onto our allotment field regularly and they all just love worms, whenever they do any weeding or planting they always 'save' the worms so they don't get hurt and then put them back safely afterwards. They also like to look into their compost bin so they can see the compost worms at work.
On one occasion, Eric, our field secretary, was showing them the different types of worms (he'd got earthworms in one tray and compost worms in another)and explaining what they do and how important they are; then he asked if anyone had any questions - and the first question was 'how do you tell a boy worm from a girl worm'!

Jean

They are aphrodisiacs…I thought we all knew that!

I think this is an appropriate moment to pose a question which I asked about two years ago and never got a real reply (not even from WigglyWigglers): when I spread the compost onto the garden, what happens to the compost worms which are spread with the compost? Do they die?

Hi Weed

I think you mean 'hermaphrodite'

and Eric did tell the children this in easy to understand words, that when worms are 'grown up' - and you can tell when they are grown up because they have a 'saddle' about one third of their length along from their head - they can choose to be a 'boy' one day and a 'girl' the next!

Dear Monika, maybe no one knows the answer.

Hi Monika, this isnt a scientific answer but they obviously dont thrive and multiply as they do in the compost heap. There cant be too many options, I reckon theyre either eaten by birds, just die because the conditions dont suit them or they all get together and make their way back to the compost heap!(bit tongue in cheek that one.)
But also how did they get into my compost heap in the first place!? I certainly didnt put them there and before it was just rough turf. ..S.T.
p.s. and now there are millions of the little devils.

If he has prostomium problems wouldn't he have to keep getting up in the middle of the night?

Jea,
How liberated...S.T.