HOW EARTHWORMS DO IT

Earthworms are hermaphrodites, containing both sperm and eggs.  This is pretty handy because, as long as you find a member of the correct species you have a potential mate.  It’s a little more “efficient” if you will.  When earthworms mate, they squirm aside each other facing opposite directions.  The secrete mucus (snot) to form a “slime tube” around themselves.  Each partner releases sperm from their seminal vesicles.  The sperm slides along a groove on the outside of the worm body and enters the partner where the sperm is held in the seminal receptacle.  Partners squirm off on their merry way.  Another slime tube is formed around the clitellum.  The clitellum is the fat part of the worm that you probably learned to run fish hooks through as a kiddo.  The clitellum slime tube slides forward as the worm backs out of it.  As the worm backs out it, the worm releases its eggs and the sperm of the partner (which it stored in its seminal receptacles into the clitellum slime tube.  Fertilization occurs and there are now about 20 future wormlets in the clitellum slime tube which is now a cocoon.  That is how earthworms do it.