There’s lots going on out on the lawn every dreary drizzly spring evening. Don’t miss the annual night crawler mating season. Night crawlers are a species of earthworms. Crawling is a fun family activity that only takes a few minutes and yields great fish bait.
Night crawlers are huge earthworms that originally came from Europe. They were likely brought to North America in dirt used as ballast in sailing ships in the 1700’s and have been moved around the country wherever dirt was transported. Sometimes they hitch hiked in the root balls of nursery trees.
Worms castings are great fertilizer. Worms convert organic matter like leaves grass and table scraps to great compost. Long live “worm poo!”
Today night crawlers are common in lawns nearly everywhere. During the day and in dry spells they stay underground. But, on damp spring evenings they rise to the surface to both feed and mate, leaving behind their tell-tale signs – castings.
Each night crawler is both male and female. During the spring mating season, they crawl around on the lawn surface looking for a likely mate. When they find one the two temporarily cement themselves together with a mucus ring. Sperm are swapped between the two and soon they separate and perhaps munch on some dead leaves or bits of organic debris before returning underground. Eventually they’ll lay eggs to create a new generation of night crawlers.
How to Go Night Crawling
A drippy 50-degree night in April or May is the perfect time to go night crawling. Bring the kids. Don a raincoat and carry a can if you want to save some for fishing. An ideal flashlight has almost depleted batteries so it just glows. Or cover a brighter flashlight with a cloth handkerchief to mute its light. The cloth can be secured with a rubber band.
Night crawlers are wary and sensitive to soil vibration and noise, so walk gently and deliberately, shining the light in front. Crawlers are wet and look shiny in the dull light. Single crawlers usually keep their tail stuck down in the earth. If a noisy person approaches, it will quickly retreat underground backwards. If you approach with stealth you can grab the surprised worm firmly but gently. It will respond by swelling its tail to grip the soil, making it hard to pull out.
There’s a trick. Hang on to the front of the worm but stop pulling and drop your hand toward the ground. The worm will loosen its grip in an attempt to go deeper into its hole. This is when you pull it out with little resistance. Worms will stay alive and healthy for a couple of weeks if kept in cool damp earth. Some folks keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Make sure the container is sealed – you really don’t want crawlers in your ‘fridge! They make outstanding fish bait.
Anyone out night crawling might encounter two mating worms. They won’t or can’t escape because they are joined. Leave them alone. Trying to catch them often causes one worm to break in half and destroys mating.
So, on a drippy dreary spring evening go night crawling! Kids love it.
