[pol and mick]

I was transfering water today from my water butt into a larger container.After taking the lid off i noticed what looks like 2 earth worms in the bottom of my water butt.They are alive as i can see them moving.They are approx 4 inches in length.
I am wondering how they got into the water butt in the first place bearing in mind it has a well fitting lid.Would it have been possible for a bird to have dropped it into the guttering and found its way into the butt that way.
Can earth worms live in water, will the water be ok to use. There is a small anount of silt in the bottom of the butt and have seen the worms bury themselves in it.

[Eatyourgreens]

I have found worms in the bottom of fish tanks and ponds (Worms fed to fish and missed) several months after going in, they do prefer to get into to the mud or under stones.

Worms are often dropped by birds but also have a knack of getting into odd places by themselves.

The water will certainly be OK as long as you aren't planning to drink it!!


Bob

[8doubles]

I often find worms in the house gutters 20ft up i think they go up the downpipe in wet weather. A goldfish in my g/house water butt was swimming around with a worm twice its own length. The question is why would a worm want to climb.

[Eatyourgreens]

To get to moisture would be my guess.


Bob

[savbo]

brandling worms are great at climbing the walls of compost bins so they're my vote for the ones that get in water butts. I think they can live for a day or so but then drown...