Why Do Earthworms Come Out After Rain?

July 7, 2026

One of the most exciting times to go looking for earthworms is after a gentle rain. Children often notice them crossing sidewalks, driveways, hiking trails, and even the middle of the road.

Do Earthworms Come Out Because They Are Drowning?

Many people believe earthworms come out after rain because they are drowning underground.

Earthworms breathe through their moist skin. Even when the soil becomes wet after rain, there is usually still enough oxygen in the soil for them to breathe. Scientists believe drowning is not the main reason healthy earthworms come to the surface.

Instead, rain creates the cool, damp conditions that earthworms need to travel safely above ground. Their skin must stay moist to breathe. A rainy day allows them to move across the surface without drying out.

Why Would an Earthworm Want to Leave the Soil?

Traveling above ground helps earthworms move to new places much faster than tunneling through soil. A worm may travel to an area with more food, better soil, or even find a mate. Moving across the surface after rain uses much less energy than digging through compacted soil.

What Will Your Child Notice?

Instead of immediately explaining why the worms are out, encourage your child to become a nature detective and ask:

-Where did you find the worm?

-Is it moving toward the grass or away from it?

-Is the ground wet or dry?

-Do you see one worm or many?

-Are there birds nearby?

-Does the worm stop moving when you gently place your hand near it?

Children often notice details many adults overlook.

Why Are So Many Worms on Sidewalks?

Earthworms do not understand where sidewalks end or roads begin. As they travel across the ground, they sometimes end up on pavement. If the sun comes out quickly, the pavement heats up much faster than the soil. A worm that cannot reach moist soil in time may dry out. If it is safe to do so, you can gently move an earthworm from hot pavement back onto moist soil or leaf litter nearby.

What If You Find an Earthworm After It Stops Raining?

Many worms quickly burrow back underground once the soil begins drying.

Some, however, become stranded on sidewalks or driveways. If the worm is still alive and the ground nearby is moist, gently placing it back onto the soil gives it a much better chance of surviving.

A Great Lesson About Timing

Earthworms teach children that nature changes every day. The same trail can look completely different before a rainstorm than it does afterward. Some days you may not see a single worm. The next day the ground may be full of them. Helping children notice these patterns teaches them that nature is always changing.

Try This After Your Next Rainstorm

Visit a local park or your backyard after a gentle rain and try walking slowly. Instead of looking far ahead, encourage your child to look down.

-Count how many worms you find in five minutes.

-Notice whether they are on grass, soil, leaves, or pavement.

-Can your child predict where they might find the next one?

These small investigations help children develop observation skills while discovering that weather influences the living things around them.

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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