Comments on: 50 Cocoon Challenge – 01-14-10 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/50-cocoon-challenge-01-14-10/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:46:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lee in Iowa http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/50-cocoon-challenge-01-14-10/comment-page-1/#comment-24827 Lee in Iowa Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:24:05 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1907#comment-24827 Bentley, with this project, you got me to add cardboard to my regular bins. I was reluctant, because I know what's IN cardboard--lots of chemicals, including even traces of the pesticides from the trees made into the pulp, along with whatever was in the nearest river water, plus all the "emulsifiers" and thickeners they add, and so on. But I began to tear up toilet paper tubes and mix them into my bins. Yeow! I got an egg-case bonanza! Apparently worms REALLY, REALLY like cardboard. I actually had a terrible time separating my finished compost from my worms, because of all the eggs. I usually use your suggestion of punctured, single-layer black plastic laid between the new bedding (below) and the old (dumped on above), which, because of all the eggs, allows me to answer Nathan's question with more detail. An absolutely newly hatched redworm looks like a tiny blob of pink bird poop. Pretty soon, it becomes something recognizable as a worm, but barely visible. (A lot of my eggs hatched while the "great migration" to the new bedding was occurring, so I saw several stages of infancy.) I never did figure out how long it takes from egg to baby, though. Some eggs were still visible in my finished compost almost two weeks after the worms had left for the new territory. Bentley, with this project, you got me to add cardboard to my regular bins. I was reluctant, because I know what’s IN cardboard–lots of chemicals, including even traces of the pesticides from the trees made into the pulp, along with whatever was in the nearest river water, plus all the “emulsifiers” and thickeners they add, and so on.

But I began to tear up toilet paper tubes and mix them into my bins. Yeow! I got an egg-case bonanza! Apparently worms REALLY, REALLY like cardboard. I actually had a terrible time separating my finished compost from my worms, because of all the eggs.

I usually use your suggestion of punctured, single-layer black plastic laid between the new bedding (below) and the old (dumped on above), which, because of all the eggs, allows me to answer Nathan’s question with more detail. An absolutely newly hatched redworm looks like a tiny blob of pink bird poop. Pretty soon, it becomes something recognizable as a worm, but barely visible. (A lot of my eggs hatched while the “great migration” to the new bedding was occurring, so I saw several stages of infancy.)

I never did figure out how long it takes from egg to baby, though. Some eggs were still visible in my finished compost almost two weeks after the worms had left for the new territory.

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/50-cocoon-challenge-01-14-10/comment-page-1/#comment-24184 Bentley Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:47:12 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1907#comment-24184 Thanks for sharing, Eve - I definitely know what you mean re: that slimy coating! (uugggh - haha) I can't say I'm too surprised that worms love it! They do love their microbial soup! :-) Thanks for sharing, Eve – I definitely know what you mean re: that slimy coating! (uugggh – haha)
I can’t say I’m too surprised that worms love it! They do love their microbial soup! :-)

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/50-cocoon-challenge-01-14-10/comment-page-1/#comment-24183 Bentley Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:45:26 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1907#comment-24183 Nathan - Baby worms look just like tiny versions of the adults, but tend to be a bit more translucent (see-through). Some people assume "White Worms" (a common worm bin inhabitant) are baby worms, but the distinct white color, and the fact that they tend to be smaller than baby worms helps as far as telling them apart goes. You are probably right about "mold", but fungi in general are well-known for their love of carbon-rich substrates like wood etc. I think part of the issue stems from the fact that the bin simply hasn't been inoculated with the "right" kind of fungi. We'll see what happens over time though - I suspect the decay will become more obvious before too long. 8) Nathan – Baby worms look just like tiny versions of the adults, but tend to be a bit more translucent (see-through). Some people assume “White Worms” (a common worm bin inhabitant) are baby worms, but the distinct white color, and the fact that they tend to be smaller than baby worms helps as far as telling them apart goes.

You are probably right about “mold”, but fungi in general are well-known for their love of carbon-rich substrates like wood etc. I think part of the issue stems from the fact that the bin simply hasn’t been inoculated with the “right” kind of fungi. We’ll see what happens over time though – I suspect the decay will become more obvious before too long. 8)

]]> By: Eve http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/50-cocoon-challenge-01-14-10/comment-page-1/#comment-24133 Eve Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:04:07 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1907#comment-24133 In my experience corrugated cardboard just sits there looking like cardboard for ages. Then one day you realize it looks real wet. If you feel it, its all slippery and slimy. Like someone had mixed in a layer of sauce into the cardboard. The worms love it at that stage. In my experience corrugated cardboard just sits there looking like cardboard for ages. Then one day you realize it looks real wet. If you feel it, its all slippery and slimy. Like someone had mixed in a layer of sauce into the cardboard. The worms love it at that stage.

]]> By: Nathan http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/50-cocoon-challenge-01-14-10/comment-page-1/#comment-24129 Nathan Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:09:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1907#comment-24129 Bentley, What do new born baby worms look like? When I started my worm bin I had mostly cardbord a little bit of paper and some food waste, but I didn't get any mold. Perhaps cardbord just isn't something mold likes. Bentley,

What do new born baby worms look like?

When I started my worm bin I had mostly cardbord a little bit of paper and some food waste, but I didn’t get any mold. Perhaps cardbord just isn’t something mold likes.

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