Viability of earthworms' egg-cocoons

Abstract

The article suggests the methods of mass collection of earthworms and their cocoons as well as the identification of cocoons' viability which stimulates the research of earthworm, in particular their reproductive capabilities. The absence of correlation between the size of cocoons and the quantity of warms, hatching from them, is found out. It is shown that the preliminary processing with glycerin or dehydration of earthworms' cocoons significantly reduces the yield of viable individuals from frozen cocoons. The technology for transportation and keeping vermiculture in the earthworm-egg-cocoon stage was worked out. The technological scheming includes mass cocoon sampling, a cocoon lot preparation for keeping and transportation at room temperature for 30 days, and long-term keeping (about 5 months) at lower temperatures in wintertime.