Dew-worms display a diurnal vertical activity pattern,where
individuals are nearest to the soil surface close to midnight and in
the deepest position at noon(Joyner and Harmon,1961). L. terrestris
prefer moist and cool conditions and their emergence is known to
be correlated with high air humidity,affected by air temperature
and elapsed time from preceding rainfall events(Macdonald,1983).
Dew formation most certainly favours emergence but e remarkably
e it seems that the importance of dew on L. terrestris activity has
not been system atically investigated.While the nocturnal activity
pattern relates to the prevalence of suitable moisture and tem-
perature,avoidance of harmful daylight UV-radiation and the risks
imposed by day-active predators are also likely to have affected the
evolution of this behaviour(Edwards and Bohlen,1996).The
diurnal activity patterns of L. terrestris can also have an endogenous
physiological component as the rhythms can persist under
continuous darkness(Laverack,1963).