They move away from light, and will become paralyzed if exposed to light for too long (approximately one hour). If a worm's skin dries out, it will die.
What happens if a worm is dry?
Like most living things, many of the aerobic bacteria living in a worm bin require hydration to live. As a worm bin dries out, the very helpful microscopic organisms inside become dehydrated. They then die off by the millions.
Do worms die without water?
Most of the time, they would dehydrate if they were above ground. But when it rains, the surface is moist enough for worms to survive and remain hydrated. For a few species, they can more easily move about and find mates. For other earthworms, it may well just be a way to disperse and move into new territory.
How long can worms live without water?
More earthworms went into estivation as the drought stress period got longer. Fourteen percent of earthworms died in the three-week drought, significantly more than in the other treatments. Still, the earthworms that survived drought, even for three weeks, were able to recover after rewetting.
Do worms die in dry soil?
Earthworms like moist soil. They can survive in dry soils but they are not active. However if the drought is severe, they will die. In dry conditions, they can burrow deep into the soil to 1 metre, tie themselves in a knot, secrete a coating of mucous about themselves which dries and helps prevent water loss.
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