If you scoop up a handful of glacial ice in the Pacific Northwest of North America, you may notice something wriggling: thin black worms, less than 3 cm long, that live their entire lives inside the ice.
The ice worm (Mesenchytraeus solifugus) is the only animal known to thrive in solid ice. It feeds on snow algae, bacteria, and pollen trapped in the ice. Their bodies operate at temperatures right around 0°C, and a temperature increase of just a few degrees causes their cell membranes to liquefy — they literally melt.
The Strangest Biology
- Their metabolic enzymes work best near freezing
- They produce antifreeze proteins to prevent ice crystals from forming inside their cells
- A single glacier can contain billions of ice worms
- They migrate vertically: rising to surface at dusk, descending into ice during the day
What Eats Them?
Surprisingly, several bird species — including some species of finches — have been observed feeding on emerging ice worms at dusk. Glaciers are not lifeless; they are functioning ecosystems with their own food chain.
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