While worms aren’t the attractive type of animal, they never run out of ways to impress us. They aren’t cute and cuddly, and most of the time, they may even seem icky and dirty (which is true). Still, they always have a way to drive our curiosity out. For instance, one of the many things we may ask would be the way they reproduce.
With such bodies, you may wonder how they would create another. Further, you may even be curious to know how they are born. Thus, you may ask:
Do worms lay eggs? Yes, worms do lay eggs, and they produce eggs as cocoons that can make up of about 3-4 worms each. These animals reproduce quite often, once every seven days, to be exact. Moreover, they have both male and female reproductive organs. However, they still need a mating partner to reproduce.
Worms have a different process of reproduction, unlike most of the animals we know. Thus, many people find it fascinating to learn more about it. If you’re someone like me who is also curious about how they reproduce, read on.
This article contains all the relevant questions you probably would ask about worms and how they lay eggs.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Contents
Do worms reproduce via eggs?
Yes, worms do reproduce via eggs. These animals create offsprings regularly through laying eggs or cocoons.
The reproduction process starts through mating. Worms have male and female reproductive organs in their bodies.
Still, worms need a partner to transfer sperm for them to reproduce. Thus, without a partner, they cannot produce offsprings on their own.
Further, the mating would happen by rubbing their bodies to each other. It will be enough to transfer sperm. Both worms can be pregnant since both have female and male reproductive organs.
It would take about a week for them to lay eggs. Thus, they usually lay eggs every seven days.
Afterward, the eggs or cocoons would take about three to four weeks to hatch. It can be shorter or longer depending on certain conditions.
Related:
How many eggs do worms lay?
A worm egg usually consists of 3-4 worms. Parent worms only lay a single egg at a time. However, it can be as frequent as once every seven days.
As I said earlier, they would need a partner to reproduce since they can’t do it independently.
Moreover, the eggs would take 3-4 weeks to hatch. It can be shorter or longer depending on the condition of the environment they are currently at.
Since worms lay eggs regularly, they can double their population in a specific area within 60 days.
Do worms lay eggs in humans?
While not all, some worms do lay eggs in humans. One of the kinds that we do is what we call hookworms.
When hookworms enter the human body, they lay their eggs inside the person’s intestines. Such eggs get into the soil or water when infected human feces get left on the ground.
Such incidents usually happen when there is a faulty or broken sewage system. In it, tiny larvae will usually hatch out.
Of course, these kinds of incidents are preventable. You can prevent it through proper sanitation and regular maintenance of sewage systems.
What do earthworm eggs look like?
Earthworm eggs are quite challenging to see at a single and quick glance. When earthworms lay eggs, they usually do it beneath the surface of the ground.
Further, if you ever have a chance to see such eggs, you may need to take a closer look to see them correctly. Such eggs have a tiny size that makes it difficult to notice with just a glance.
In general, earthworm eggs have a yellowish-brown color. It also has an oval shape with a small point at each end, kind of like a lemon.
Still, it’s difficult to notice both the shape and the color due to its tiny size. In fact, such eggs are even smaller than a single rice grain.
If you want to see one, you may have to take a closer look or use some magnification tools.
You can look at this picture for reference:
Summary
While worms are not cute and attractive animals, they remain to be one of the fascinating ones. They may not be cute and cuddly like our usual pets, but they can surprise us with many things and facts. One of these things is how they reproduce, and it’s through laying eggs.
With the bodies they have, many of us wonder how they reproduce. In general, the answer is merely mating by rubbing their bodies with a partner. Once worms do, they would exchange sperm and lay an egg where the baby worms would remain until they hatch.
Moreover, worms have both male and female organs. However, they still need a partner to reproduce and make baby worms. Thus, they can’t produce on their own.
Resources
Image credits – Canva, Wikimedia
