Where Can You Find Earthworms on Long Island?

You don't need to travel far or visit a zoo to find an earthworm. If you know where and when to look, you can often discover them in your own backyard or during a walk through your local park.

The next time you head outside with your child, become an Earthworm Detective.

What Kind of Habitat Do Earthworms Like?

Earthworms prefer places that are:

Moist
Cool
Shady
Rich in dead leaves and other organic matter
Full of healthy soil

Because earthworms breathe through their moist skin, they avoid hot, dry ground where they can dry out. That's why you're much more likely to find them in wooded parks than in sunny fields.

When Is the Best Time to Find Earthworms?

Earthworms are easiest to find when conditions are cool and damp.

The best times include:

After a gentle rain: Damp soil allows earthworms to safely move across the surface without drying out.
Spring: Mild temperatures and moist soil make spring one of the best seasons to find earthworms on Long Island.
Fall: Fallen leaves provide food, while cooler temperatures help keep the soil moist.
Early morning or evening: Even without rain, cooler temperatures make earthworms more active near the surface.

Where Should You Look?

Teach your child to slow down and search carefully.

Look:

Beneath damp leaves
Near fallen logs
Under rocks resting on moist soil
In gardens
Near compost piles
Along shaded woodland trails

After observing, always place rocks, logs, and leaves back exactly where you found them so the animals living underneath can continue using them as shelter.

Great Places to Find Earthworms on Long Island

Many Long Island parks provide excellent earthworm habitat.

-West Hills County Park

West Hills County Park is one of our favorite places to observe earthworms. Its wooded trails, fallen logs, rich leaf litter, and healthy forest soil create ideal habitat. After a gentle rain, children often spot earthworms crossing the trail or hiding beneath damp leaves. It's also a wonderful place to see how earthworms help build healthy forest soil.

-Caleb Smith State Park Preserve

-Blydenburgh County Park

-Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve

-Planting Fields Arboretum

-Sands Point Preserve

Remember, earthworms are wild animals. Observe them gently, return them exactly where you found them, and leave their habitat undisturbed.

Become an Earthworm Detective

Help your child become a scientist by asking questions instead of giving answers.

Is the ground wet or dry?
Is this area sunny or shaded?
Are there lots of fallen leaves?
Can you smell the damp soil?
Why do you think the earthworm chose this spot?
What other animals might live here?

These questions help children notice the entire habitat.

Why Don't We Always See Earthworms?

Earthworms spend almost their entire lives underground. Most of the time they're creating tunnels, eating decaying plants, and improving the soil beneath our feet. They usually come to the surface only when conditions are cool and moist. That means every earthworm your child finds is a chance to observe an animal that most people rarely notice.

Try This on Your Next Nature Walk

Bring a notebook and become an Earthworm Habitat Detective.

Each time you find an earthworm, record:

Where did you find it?
Had it rained recently?
Was the soil wet or dry?
Was the area sunny or shaded?
Were there lots of leaves on the ground?

After several walks, ask: "Can you predict where we'll find the next earthworm?"

When children begin noticing patterns and making predictions, they're developing one of the most important skills in science: careful observation.

Putting It All Together

Learning where earthworms live teaches children much more than where to find a worm. They begin to understand that every animal has a habitat that meets its needs. They learn that healthy forests depend on healthy soil and healthy soil depends on earthworms.

The next time you're on the trail, slow down, look beneath your feet, and see what hidden life you can discover together.

Continue the Adventure Outdoors

Reading about where earthworms live is a wonderful beginning. Finding one beneath a damp leaf, noticing the rich forest soil around it, and discovering why it chose that habitat helps children see that every animal depends on the place it calls home.

At Little Hikers Long Island, families explore the trails of West Hills County Park together, learning how to identify habitats, observe wildlife, and understand how plants, animals, fungi, and soil all work together. Every class encourages children to slow down, ask questions, and discover the amazing wildlife living in their own local park.

If you would like to continue exploring the nature of Long Island together, we would love to have you join us on the trail.

About Little Hikers Long Island

Little Hikers Long Island is a fully outdoor parent and child nature program at West Hills County Park in Huntington, New York. Through hands-on exploration, families learn about the local plants, insects, animals, and seasonal changes found right here on Long Island. Children learn to observe closely, ask thoughtful questions, compare what they see, and build a lasting relationship with the natural world around them.

Our goal is to help children become careful observers, confident explorers, and future stewards of the places they call home, because children protect what they understand.

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