Earthworms come in many sizes. Some earthworms range in size from 3/4 of an inch to 8 inches. Though there are many who range from 10 feet, 12 feet, and up to 22 feet. Why am I choosing to write up a piece on Earthworms? I think they are amazing animals. When one considering what they do. Earthworms are active at night. They feed on bits and pieces of dead organisms. Their castings help to fertilize the soil. Their burrows help air and water reach plant roots. These worms live in moist soil. Mucus along their body keeps them from drying out. Each segment on their body has it's muscles. Muscles that the worm uses to help pull itself along the soil. Each segment also has setae ( hairs ) that also helps move the worm along. These setae actually help the worm grip the soil. Some earthworms can live for 10 years. There are 700 earthworms in one square yard. One bucket of soil can contain 200 worms. Each worm contains male and female sex organs, however it takes to worms in order to mate. Mating takes place on the surface.
With so many invertebrates around us, it's no surprise that some are beneficial. Sure, I've just got done telling you about the earthworm and I've also told you about the honeybee, but there are still other invertebrates out there that help us out. Honeybees are not the only invertebrates that pollinate plants. There are multitude of other bees, beetles, and even moths that pollinate flowers. Invertebrates ability to help us out doesn't end there. There are still countless more that aid us. There are a hundreds that feed on other invertebrates that could harm us or our economy. In some countries, people eat invertebrates. They can serve as a source of inspiration for inventions. The chemical that allows mussels to hold fast to rocks led to the invention of super glue. The venom of invertebrates is being used to treat cancers. The venom of scorpions is being used to target certain brain tumors. Invertebrates also help us in the realm of criminal justice. Forensic scientist know how to tell the stages of fly maggots to determine how long a body has been dead. These examples are but just a few of the ways that invertebrates aid us. At any rate, I hope that maybe we have something to be thankful for.

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