Albert Strout, age 7. of South Portland.. for his question:

Do earthworms hibernate?

Mr. Pinky the earthworm has no warm coat of fur or feathers. His bare skin is not thick enough to keep out the winter cold. In the coldest months# Jack Frost may freeze even the ground. All the moisture in the soil may be frozen hard for several feet below the surface. Down here is where Mr. Pinky lives and builds his burrow. But Jack Frost does not catch our Pinky for he made his plans long before winter came.

Pinky’s burrow can b e anywhere from one to eight feet deep. It ends in a little room. Come fall, Pinky and perhaps one or two of his friends go down, down into the burrow. They carefully stuff the opening of the burrow with leaves to keep out the water in case it rains. Then each worm curls into a tight little ball and falls into the deep sleep of hibernation until warm spring weather.