Are we training our herds to move downwards ?

14 years ago

Does putting food under the bedding teach the worms to move downward? This thought occurred to me, that may be why some of the worms travel down into the catchment bin in the worm factory or similar setups.

Terry

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Comments (5)

lkittle
14 years ago
Hi Terry and All; Worms do not have a brain they have a nerve ganglion. It is capable of sensory detection and reactive nerve impulses to control muscles of the worms body. No matter how you try they will never learn a single thing.
cathd66
14 years ago
Not quiet true- in Clive Edwards book, he quotes a study in which worms could be taught to turn right instead of left in a maze in pursuit of food, and to avoid an electrical (unpleasant) stimulus.
The really freaky thing is that if you cut the worm's 'head' off- (the segments with the main nerve ganglion)- the worm would still take the 'learned' path--UNTIL IT GREW A NEW GANGLION_ then it would 'unlearn'!
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cathd66
14 years ago
Found an online link to that report:

Here is a link that might be useful: clive edwards book
steamyb
14 years ago
That explains why I enjoy the worms so much. All my other pets did not learn anything either and they were a real bother. Stupid dogs...
vermipirate
14 years ago
cathd66 now that is cool! thanks for posting