When I reached Area 1, I observed the condition of the soil. Because of seasonal changes, the plants had all dried out and the leaves had fallen. The soil had hardened and appeared very dry. It was very difficult to dig in this area. I did not find any earthworms in Area 1 on this expedition.

As I moved on to Area 2, I shivered even though I was wearing several layers of clothes, and I walked as briskly as possible. Unfortunately, the area was still completely flooded. I decided to take measurements of the water level, and recorded the results in my field journal. The water in Area 2 was approximately 20 centimeters deep.

I moved on to Area 3. As in Area 1, the soil in Area 3 was hard and appeared very dry. I started digging and looked to see if there were any earthworms. The first earthworm I spotted was approximately 15 centimeters below the ground. The second earthworm I found was located about 23 centimeters down in the soil. I found two more earthworms at approximately 28 and 34 centimeters below the ground. I continued digging a hole that was about 50 centimeters deep, but found no additional earthworms.

I then conducted follow-up research to find out why I had found so few earthworms on this expedition compared to my first expedition. I found out that earthworms, like birds and butterflies, also migrate during the winter when the temperature drops. Rather than migrating south, most worms take a voyage deeper down into the soil. Their travels sometimes take them as far as two meters down. Down below the ground, where they go to avoid the chill, they sleep until the weather changes. This form of sleeping is called "estivation," and it is comparable to hibernation among bears (www.learner.org).