A red earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) photographed in Søborg, Denmark.

Red Earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) — Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister, 1843, Søborg, Denmark, 23 April 2016.

Creator: Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark. CC BY 2.0. Licence: [CC BY 2.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en).

Licence: CC BY 2.0

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Species record

Red Earthworm

Lumbricus rubellus

Explore the Red Earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

The red earthworm is native to western Europe and now occurs widely in temperate and mild boreal regions, including places where it has been introduced. It feeds on decomposing organic matter near the soil surface and prefers loose, moist soil rich in organic material.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Segmented worms
  3. Class: Earthworms and leeches
  4. Order: Crassiclitellata
  5. Family: Lumbricidae
  6. Genus: Lumbricus

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
loose, moist, organic-rich soil, compost heaps, soil beneath dung pats
Selected regions
Europe, North America, Oceania

Conservation status

Conservation status not recorded.

Did you know?

  • Its egg capsules can resist dry conditions and hatch after the soil becomes moist enough.

More images

A red earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) in soil from organic gardening.

Red Earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) — A red earthworm photographed in soil from organic gardening.

Creator: [Holger Casselmann](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Holger_Casselmann). CC BY-SA 3.0. Licence: [CC BY-SA 3.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en).

Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

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Sources and attribution