Test to see what effect different kinds of foods have on worms. Make three equal colonies of worms and weigh each group at the start. Feed one group only vegetable matter, another group whole grains, and the third group sugary foods, such as sweet breakfast cereals. Feed each group the same quantity of food, by weight, three times a week. Weigh the worms again after one week and once more after two weeks. Check to see which group weighs the most. This experiment provides a look at the impact of sugar on weight gain.
Set up two worm bins. Place an equal number of worms in each bin. Try different kinds of foods to see whether the worms are picky eaters. In one bin put a mix of kitchen scraps but don’t include any meat, fats or oils. In the other bin put only meat scraps, fats and oils. Record what happens to the food in each bin. Note what the worms eat and what they avoid. When using worms for recycling, this experiment helps people understand what the worms will eat and what should never go into a worm bin.
This experiment has to be done at night or in a room that can be darkened completely. The person conducting the experiment is checking to see whether worms are more active in the light or dark. Place food on top of the bedding in a worm bin. Leave the lid off and the room lights on, and watch for activity. Then turn the lights off and check with a flashlight — put red cellophane over the lens — and see whether the worms prefer the dark. Then turn the lights back on to see whether the worms react.
Check to see whether worms have favorite colors by shining different colors of light on them while the room is dark. The experimenter should make a note of the worms’ reactions to each different color, to see whether there are colors that bother the worms and whether any of the colors seem to attract them. Try placing a worm on a flat surface with a couple of drops of water nearby. Watch to see whether the worm can find the water. Put two worms on the same surface to see whether they can find each other. Try different distances to see how far apart the worms have to be before they can’t find another worm.