Pile Worms are familiar to fishermen, who use them for bait. But you're unlikely to see these worms except some August evening near midnight when they spawn. Pile Worms are iridescent blue-green with red near the tail. In place of legs, many tiny paddles line their bodies, making them look a bit like giant swimming centipedes. Two impressive varieties grow over a foot long!

The Pile Worm makes itself a soft-sided tube in sand or finds a home among heavy growth on pilings and docks. Its spawning form has larger eyes, and at night by the marina lights you may see this worm swimming beautifully along. As the male releases sperm, the female worm rises from below to release her eggs. If you're very lucky, you might spot great swarms of spawning Pile Worms.

The worm's fertilized eggs form a ball of tiny, semi-transparent spheres lying below the lowest tide. Around Puget Sound these worms live maybe two years, spawn and soon die.

Our most common Pile Worm has powerful pinchers hidden in its mouth. Beware if you're a small, soft creature swimming or crawling by as these shoot out quickly to grab prey. Pile Worms prefer eating animals and will swallow a worm half their size!

As all marine creatures, Pile Worms need clean water. Puget Sound's main source of pollution is runoff from land. There are many ways you can help prevent this. For example, never pour anything down a storm drain. And landscape with native plants. They do well without fertilizer, pesticides, or watering.