Worm ID

[ssssnakeluvr]

Any one have any idea what the species of worm the smaller ones pictures here??? they are smaller than night crawlers, don't have the purple head....they are pictured with one for size comparison...however the 2 larger ones are real big for the species...generally they are around 2-3 inches long. I have fed them to my smaller snakes...much easier to feed to baby garters than big fat earthworms!!!!

here's the group shot with the night crawler....

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//504/worms_1.jpg

and a photo of the head of the larger one and a small one....

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//504/worms_2.jpg

not sure what the common name for them is....we always called them angle worms.....

[bulrush]

We call the smaller ones "garden worms", commonly found in your yard. THe big ones we called earth worms, the really big ones are canadian night crawlers, commonly sold as bait.

[ssssnakeluvr]

hmmm....interesting...the large one with the purple head is an earthworm....the larger pink ones are the same as the small ones (except the greener one) only large adults....most aren't quite that big.

[Lori P]

What's up with the color? The worms I dig up here, or the nightcrawlers I get at the bait store, are dark red/maroon. Is that one actually greenish yellow??!!

[ssssnakeluvr]

yep...we have the angle worms in normal pink (I use them as feeders), green, not sure if I want to feed them and the dark one there...kinda odd...but threw him in to show the variety. the pink ones I have in the photo are large adults...most are smaller and great for feeding little babies...easier to take down than big fat nightcrawlers, plus i don't have to cut them up....:o

[count dewclaw]

What's up with the color? The worms I dig up here, or the nightcrawlers I get at the bait store, are dark red/maroon.

The ones in NY are also dark red/maroon, I wonder if soil type makes a difference? Although, NY and VA have different soil types...hmm, maybe there are a lot more worm species than I realized...

Don, those worms look "anemic" to me ;).

[Zephyr]

That one towards the back, the smaller one, is some sort of nightcrawler.

[anji1971]

The tiny ones are what I also call just 'Garden worms' , but the other ones I've always figured were just young nightcrawlers -- they have to start out small, too!

[Zephyr]

All are safe for garters BTW. :P

[Snake lover 3-25]

are there any "bad" worms????

[Zephyr]

Red wigglers.

[drache]

garters seem to know they're no good though

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay then i wont have to wory... great!!!!

[Zephyr]

Now, I've been finding some worms that move like red wigglers and have a deep red head that fades to a light blue body. Are these another toxic wiggler species?

[drache]

now I'm tempted to get this
Amazon.com: The Worm Book: The Complete Guide to Worms in Your Garden: Loren Nancarrow,Janet Hogan Taylor: Books (http://www.amazon.com/Worm-Book-Complete-Guide-Garden/dp/0898159946/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209118065&sr=8-1)

[KITKAT]

Also helpful...

Great Lakes Worm Watch :: Worm Identification (http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms/identification/index.html)