In order to keep their large population, Nematodes lay 200,000 eggs per day. They therefore practice R strategy because there are too many offspring to take care of. Nematodes are developed to not need parental care from the time of birth.
- Usually the male will inject sperm into the female which can fertilize one of the females many eggs.
- Females mate with many different partners, another practice of r strategy.
- The egg will hatch in a variety of ways (see life cycle).
- After hatching from the egg, the juvenile will quickly develop to an adult, not needing nurture from a parent.
- Most of a nematodes development happens within the first three larval stages, leaving only one larval stage after hatching to develop into an adult.
- Female nematodes carry so many eggs that the r stately is crucial to allow the female to fertilize as many of her eggs, and upkeep the large nematode population.