EARTHWORMS HAVE BRISTLES

Robins have returned to the Ozarks and they are eating earthworms as fast as they can.  Did you ever wonder why earthworms don’t just slip out of the soil and smack the robins in the face like when you slurp up spaghetti?  Well, earthworms do produce a mucus covering which helps them breath through their skin and makes them slick as snot (pun intended here).  However, they don’t slip right out of the soil and into the waiting mouth of a robin because the worms have small bristles along their body which can help them stay in position.  WHAT?  Yes, these small bristles are called chaeta and worms (even earthworms) have them.  Given, earthworms don’t have a lot, so they are classified as Oligochaeta which literally means “few chaeta”.  Polychaeta have many chaeta.  Most marine worms are polychaeta.  So, now you know!