While working with worms its important to know their lifecycle if you want to do things such as vermiculture. So what comes first you ask… the worm or the egg? Truth is we may never know! But if we start from conceptions i your ting worms lives begin with a cocoon.
Stage One: worm eggs live in ting lemon shaped cocoons. Eggs, incubate in the cocoons for around 30 days, or until the conditions of the environment are ideal for the baby worms to survive ( 65°- 85°). While there are several eggs in one cocoon, very few of them actually match a baby worm; around 1-4 worms per cocoon, and that's being optimistic.
Stage Two: the baby phase! Baby worms are tiny tanish/pinkish worms that are transparent with a red vain going down the middle of its body. As soon as their eggs hatch they are able to consume organic materials.
Stage Three: the juvenile phase! During this time worms will grow and live their happy worm lives consuming organic materials and exploring their environment. After 2-3 months from hatching they will reach adulthood where they will form their clitellum (their reproductive structure) and can reproduce.
Stage Four: adulthood! As adults; and in the right conditions, (depending on the breed of worm) worms can lay 2-3 cocoons each week. When worms are well taken care of they can live long lives-some say 4-8 years but no one knows for sure.