ANIMALS HELP SOIL

Soil is home to thousand of animals. Many are too small to be seen, but

every single one is important.

Earthworms burrow through the soil making it looser and letting in air.

Earthworms eatBits of soil as theyMove through it.

Wood lice live in damp places. They eat decaying things.

Wood lice eat rotting plants and break them down into smaller bits.

Gophers make long tunnels through the soil. They mix the soil as they dig. They push the soil from the tunnels toward the surface. This helps plant roots reach the nutrients they need more easily.

Slugs and Snails

They eat dead creatures and plants. They are a good food supply for birds and hedgehogs.

Ants live in large colonies and burrow in the soil to build their nests. They eat a wide variety of food.

Beetles andEarwigs

Some beetles eat wood and some eat plants. Some other eat dung. Earwigs eat roots, leaves and dead creatures.

Centipedes live under stones and in the soil. They eat other living creatures.

Millipedes mainly eat decaying things and help to turn them back into useful things for the soil.

Spiders weave webs to catch flies and other insects for food.

All these creatures that live in the soil play a part in breaking down the rotting plants and dead animals and turning them into nutrients for new plants to grow.

Earthworm and Wood liceHow are they alike? How are they different?