PEEC News:

They squirm, they slime, and they’re numbering in the hundreds at PEEC.

Learn all about the composting worms, feel them wiggle in your hand, and collect data on worm behavior 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 3 at PEEC.

Did you know that just one acre of land can contain as many as one million earthworms? The actions of these worms affect almost every aspect of the outdoor world, including decomposition, soil nutrients, plant growth, the food chain, and more.

Think about it: every bit of earth we tread has passed through the intestines of worms.

It’s no surprise that the popularity of vermiculture (worm farming) is increasing. Some composting worms can eat their own weight in food scraps every day.

They turn those scraps into mineral-rich soils that are extremely beneficial to plants. PEEC has a standard-sized bin that contains hundreds of composting worms.

The worms work away at breaking down food scraps, and they reproduce regularly, making more worms all the time.

At Worms and Dirt at PEEC, kids of all ages can meet the composting worms, see all they have to offer, feed some worms to Elf the turtle, and participate in a few science experiments looking at worm behavior.

Drop in any time between 1-3 p.m. to try your hand at these and other fun activities. This program is free, but parents/caregivers must stay and supervise their children.

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center is at 3540 Orange St. behind Los Alamos High School.

Visit www.PajaritoEEC.org, call 662-0460 or e-mail Programs@PajaritoEEC.org for more information about this program.