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Earthworm ID websites

evut

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I just searched for some information about earthworm species after reading the thread about toxicity of E. fetida. These 2 sites seem to be quite good for ID purposes. I thought they might be useful.

Earthworm guide | OPAL

Earthworm ecology

I think that I have:
Eisenia fetida (bought, refused by many, especially chopped)
and from my garden:
Allolobophora chlorotica
(small light pinkish worms, head and tail quite thick, often refused, release nasty yellow liquid),
Lumbricus terrestris
(come out to surface at night, sometimes very large, flattened tail)
There is also another type - very small, dark red colour with a pronounced light saddle, possibly Lumbricus castaneus.

If anyone has any good source of information about earthworms, please post here. Things I would also like to know: can you attract more worms into your garden/a specific place in your garden and do you have any worm catching tricks.
 
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caleb

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Darwin's book is available online at:
The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms : with observations on their habits : Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

Worm catching methods have been discussed here a while ago:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...awlers-etc/56441-worm-catching-technique.html
Lots of good suggestions there.

Another way is to water the soil with a vermifuge to bring them to the surface. Most of the traditional ones are fairly toxic, but mustard water sounds like a feasible non-toxic method:
http://rms1.agsearch.agropedia.affrc.go.jp/contents/JASI/pdf/society/66-1295.pdf
 

ACEPHONECHIC

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Hi thanks for the brilliant links I did not know there were so many varieties of the earthworm.:happy:. I shall study the ones I have for my axies much more closely though I must say on the images several do look very alike.
 

birgit

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Hi, not sure if i can use the topic. Has anyone actually studied these classifications and can you tell me which type is best for the axolotl?
I bought earthworm from a fish bait shop, and it turned out to be nightcrawlers - compost worms. Somewhere here i read that compost is not liked by many of the axies and i keep reading they love earthworm, so what would the usual and best (or maybe the real) earthworm look like? Can you post a pic and recommend something, a latin name would be very helpful too.
 
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