Wiggly Worms

Wiggly Worms. Written by Cheryl Reif -Snyder.

《扭扭蠕虫》，作者：谢丽尔·莱夫-斯奈德。

Small animals, big changes. What animal eats dirt, builds tunnels in the soil, and comes out at night? If you guessed an earthworm, you're right. Earthworms, or night crawlers, are found all around the world. These small animals change the soil in big ways.

小小动物，大大改变。 什么动物吃泥土，在土壤里挖隧道，还只在夜里出来活动呀？ 如果你猜的是蚯蚓，那你答对啦。 蚯蚓，也叫夜爬虫，在世界各地都能找到哦。 这些小动物能给土壤带来大大的变化呢。

Earthworm bodies. An earthworm's body is shaped like one tube inside another. A tube of muscle surrounds a tube that breaks down the food that the worm eats. An earthworm's body has more than 100 ring -shaped parts. Each part can bend and stretch when the worm moves.

蚯蚓的身体。 蚯蚓的身体就像一根管子套在另一根管子里。 外层是肌肉管包裹着用来消化蚯蚓吃下的食物的内管。 蚯蚓的身体有超过100个环形的体节。 蚯蚓移动的时候每个体节都可以弯曲和伸展。

An earthworm moves by stretching out and pulling in its body parts. Small bristles on the worm's body help it grip the ground.

蚯蚓靠伸展和收缩身体的体节来移动。 蚯蚓身体上的小硬毛能帮它抓住地面。

Slimy worms. Slimy mucus on an earthworm's skin helps it stay cool and wet. Mucus helps earthworms slide through soil. When they dig, earthworms leave a mucus trail behind them. The mucus hardens on the tunnel walls, keeping them from falling in.

黏糊糊的蠕虫。 蚯蚓皮肤上黏糊糊的粘液能帮它保持凉爽湿润。 粘液能帮蚯蚓在土壤里顺利滑动。 蚯蚓挖洞的时候，会在身后留下一道粘液痕迹。 粘液会在隧道壁上变硬，防止隧道塌陷。

Worms also use mucus to protect their eggs after they mate. The mucus hardens into a worm cocoon. Baby worms stay in the cocoon for weeks or months. They come out when the soil is warm and wet enough for them to survive.

蚯蚓交配后也会用粘液来保护它们的卵。 粘液会变硬形成蚯蚓的卵茧。 蚯蚓宝宝会在卵茧里待上几周或者几个月。 等到土壤足够温暖湿润、适合它们生存的时候，它们就会钻出来啦。