In 1968, I was in Basic at Ft Campbell. During that time some captured two small snakes, a t different times. They put them in a butt can. that was a large coffee can painted red ,from a piece of rebar, if memory serves outside the barracks. The first snake was dark with some patterns but not much more thickness than a horse hair. They said it was a horsehair snake. I've seen horsehair snakes, or worms, in the woods in water on leaves etc. This wasn't one. It had a mouth and tongue and was definately a snake. The second one was most memorable. It was patterned all over but had two long yellow white stripes along the sides of the top of the snake. In between it had elongated diamonds the same color. The shape of its head was wider than the body and it had black eyes, as I recall. It was quite long and coiled around the inside of the can in some water. It flicked its tongue out quite a bit. It was not as thick as a pencil lead in diameter. It was a brown glossy bronze color with a discerable but I caan';t remember, pattern other than the stripes and diamonds To this day I have not seen a photo or description, of the snake on the net or anywhere. Has anyone seen anything like this?

I googled and found: For years scientists seemed to think the only reason earthworms came to the soil surface after a good rain was to prevent drowning in their water-filled burrows. "This is not true as earthworms breathe through their skins and actually require moisture in the soil to do so," said Dr. Chris Lowe, Lecturer in Waste and Environmental Management, University of Central Lancashire in Preston, United Kingdom. Earthworms are unable to drown like a human would, and they can even survive several days fully submerged in water. Soil experts now think earthworms surface during rain storms for migration purposes. "It gives them an opportunity to move greater distances across the soil surface than they could do through soil," said Dr. Lowe. "They cannot do this when it is dry because of their moisture requirements." Certain species of earthworms surface to mate, but only a few of the 4,400 existing species, making it unlikely that mating is a primary reason for widespread surfacing. Another explanation involves rain drop vibrations on the soil surface sounding similar to predator vibrations, like that of moles. Earthworms often come to the surface to escape moles. "Rain can set up vibrations on top of the soil like mole vibrations," said Professor Josef Gorres of the University of Vermont's Department of Plant and Soil Science. "Similar to how earthworms move upwards and out of the way when predator vibrations are felt, they could move in a similar way for rain vibrations." Similarly, humans create vibrations when "fiddling" for bait earthworms. To coax worms from their burrows, fishermen run a piece of steel or a hand saw across the top of a stake, which causes a rubbing sound to occur as the stake vibrates. Earthworms are then moved to the surface, much to the fisherman's delight. http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/why-do-earthworms-surface-afte/28916

hummersteve, I think my worm bins are actively composting but I don't seem to see that same level of processing that you've just described. How long (after the last feeding) did it take for that bin to reach that complete level of processing? Do you have a massive amount of wigglers in there? A couple of my bins are outside, and with temps. being -4 to +5C the activity in those bins has really slowed down. Most of the grated pumpkin I put in 3 weeks ago is still sitting on the surface. Thankfully here in the PNW are winters don't get too cold but I'd like to get some kind of insulation on those bins especially since they aren't very big so are more at risk from the cold. Harry

Amynthas agrestis, or crazy snake worm, is an invasive worm that will deforest an area and eat every bit of organic material in your compost and garden till you have nothing left but sand. I have them. They came in a bag of some garden additive like manure. Do a google search and read about them from a reputable site such as a cooperative extension. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/resources/article-59-crazy-snake-worms-november-2017&ved=2ahUKEwi5m6Cs2NbdAhUJT98KHRk1BjwQFjAKegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw2Nr8eVEFJC24zszO-UeLKB The only control I use is hand picking them when I see them and dropping them into a can of soapy water. When they're dead and decomposed I throw them in the trash (or bury them in a woodchuck hole. Heheh). These worms are bigger than regular worms, have a white egg sac around their middle, and will violently jump around in your hand and break in half and drop to the ground to grow new body parts. In spring you can find them in the soil and in compost as tiny earthworms that wiggle more than regular worms. By end of summer they are easily identified by their size and white egg sac. They love mulch. By the way, earthworms are not native to the USA. They have been imported in various ways. Also, they are carelessly left on the ground by people who fish. These crazy snake worms have invaded the northeast in the last few years.