Tug of War
Posted by Jill Taylor on March 28, 2003
Q: What happens to worms in the winter? Do they keep living and eating underground, do they hibernate or do they die.
A: Earthworms don't die in the winter but they do escape the freezing temperatures of winter by burrowing deeper into the soil. Freezing temperatures do invade the soil but their depth is dependent on the air temperature and duration of the cold. In really cold winters, like we've had in the Northeast in 2002-2003, the soil freezes at greater depths than might be true otherwise.
In the winter, all the earthworms need to do is stay below the frost line and they're safe from freezing. During the winter months, temperatures in the soil are definitely colder and worms spend much of their time in a dormant condition. Once temperatures begin to warm in the soil, they begin moving about and feeding once again.
John Wiessinger ( March 28, 2003)