dark red, red, or red-violet

Aporrectodea longa

Common Name: Black head worm, Ver ‡ tÍte noire Length: 90-150 mm

Habitat: This species has been found in cultivated soil, gardens, pastures, woodlands, and found to be abundant in soils bordering rivers and lakes. It has also been sighted in botanical gardens, lawns, peat bog, compost, and under manure.

Canadian Distribution: Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec

Interesting Facts and Features: This species is one of the longest earthworms in Canada.

Bimastos parvus

Common Name: American bark worm, Ver amÈricain de l’Ècorce

Length: 17-65 mm

Habitat: This species is found in close association with habitats high in organic matter such as decaying logs, and leaves. Some species have also been found in moist areas associated with gardens, fields, manure, and garbage dumps.

Canadian Distribution: Ontario

Interesting Facts and Features: This is one of the smallest earthworms in Canada, and it has only been reported once in Canada. Also its clitellum is found very close to its nose (< 1 cm).

Dendrobaena octaedra

Common Name: Octagonal-tail worm, Ver ‡ queue octagonale

Length:17-60 mm

Habitat: This species is commonly found in undisturbed sites such as under sod, moss on streams, logs, and leafy debris.

Canadian Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec

Interesting Facts and Features: This is one of the smallest earthworms in Canada, and it has widely paired setae

Dendrodrilus rubidus

Common Name: European bark worm, Ver europÈen de l’Ècorce

Length: 20-90 mm

Habitat: This species has a broad range of habitats, including gardens, cultivated fields, stream banks, moss in running water, wells, springs, peat, compost, and occasionally in manure. It can also be found under the bark of old rotting trees.

Canadian Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan

Interesting Facts and Features: This species has been seen wandering the soil surface, and climbing trees. It is also one of the smallest earthworms found in Canada.

Eisenia foetida

Common Name: Manure worm, Tiger worm, Red Wiggler, Ver du fumier

Length: 30-60 mm

Habitat: This species is commonly found in very moist manure and organic matter. Examples of such environments include compost heaps, and cowpats. Other locations are forests, gardens, and under stones, leaves, logs, and roadside dumps.

Canadian Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

Interesting Facts and Features: This species in usually found in close proximity to human habitation, and has been used for home composting and fish bait.

Lumbricus castaneus

Common Name: Chestnut worm, Ver alezan

Length: -50 mm ( generally < 35 mm)

Habitat: This species is terrestrial, and is commonly found in soil rich in organic matter such as gardens, parks, pastures, forests, riverbanks, marsh banks, or under stones, leaves and dung. It can also be found in cultivated fields, manure, compost, and leaf litter.

Canadian Distribution: New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec

Lumbricus festivus

Common Name: Quebec worm, Ver quÈbÈcois

Length: 48-105 mm

Habitat: Little is known about this rare species’ habitat since few have been found. Most of the earthworms were found under logs, debris, dung, stones, leaf piles, as well as in pastures and riverbanks.

Canadian Distribution: British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Quebec
Interesting Facts and Features: A very rare earthworm.

Lumbricus rubellus

Common Name: Red marsh worm, Ver rouge du marÈcage

Length: 50-150 mm ( generally > 60 mm)

Habitat: This species is commonly found in places rich in organic matter and moisture such as parks, gardens, pastures, woody peat, riverbanks, and under things like stones, moss, old leaves, dung in pastures, and logs.

Canadian Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

Interesting Facts and Features: This species has been cultured by the fish bait industry.

Lumbricus terrestris

Common Name: Nightcrawler, Dew-worm, Ver nocturne rampant

Length: 90-300 mm

Habitat: This species is almost purely terrestrial. It is commonly found in gardens, lawns, pastureland, and under logs. It is also found in forests, riverbanks, streams, mud flats, woody peat, under cowpats, and in compost.

Canadian Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

Interesting Facts and Features: The largest earthworm ever to be found in Canada. This is the earthworm typically used in laboratory studies in high schools and universities. It is very long lived (up to 10 years and it forms deep vertical burrows.