Comments on: Bugs Ate My Worms! http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:17:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dereck http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-21115 Dereck Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:31:17 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-21115 To Wendy's "triangular flying things": I can almost guarantee that those are fungus gnats. Harmless, but a huge nuisance. To Wendy’s “triangular flying things”: I can almost guarantee that those are fungus gnats. Harmless, but a huge nuisance.

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-18074 Bentley Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:57:27 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-18074 Vacuum - apple cider vinegar traps (cup with apple cider and drop of soap, covered with plastic wrap with few small holes punched in) - remove excess food - don't feed for awhile - lots of dry bedding - leave undisturbed for a number of days - predatory plants - fly paper (dab with apple cider vinegar) Hope this helps :-) Vacuum – apple cider vinegar traps (cup with apple cider and drop of soap, covered with plastic wrap with few small holes punched in) – remove excess food – don’t feed for awhile – lots of dry bedding – leave undisturbed for a number of days – predatory plants – fly paper (dab with apple cider vinegar)

Hope this helps
:-)

]]> By: mason http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-17951 mason Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:55:04 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-17951 wew think we have fruit flies, what should we do? wew think we have fruit flies,
what should we do?

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-15278 Bentley Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:20:36 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-15278 Hi John, It sounds like you have a very common variety of worm bin mite. They tend to appear when there is excess food and very moist conditions. Often people assume they are harming the worms when it fact they are simply taking advantage of ideal conditions for their growth/reproduction. They are scavengers and will consume dead and dying worms. They won't reduce the population of healthy worms however. I'd recommend adding a bunch of dry, absorbent bedding to your bin. This should help to improve the situation - absorbing excess moisture and balancing the C:N ratio. The good news is that you definitely do not need to start over! :-) Hi John,
It sounds like you have a very common variety of worm bin mite. They tend to appear when there is excess food and very moist conditions. Often people assume they are harming the worms when it fact they are simply taking advantage of ideal conditions for their growth/reproduction. They are scavengers and will consume dead and dying worms. They won’t reduce the population of healthy worms however.

I’d recommend adding a bunch of dry, absorbent bedding to your bin. This should help to improve the situation – absorbing excess moisture and balancing the C:N ratio.

The good news is that you definitely do not need to start over!
:-)

]]> By: John Ryan http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-15123 John Ryan Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:10:21 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-15123 I also have noticed strange bugs in my worm composter. I was expecting mites and fruit flies and the like...but I think I have something that is causing trouble. I noticed a cluster of small - half a millimeter in diameter - whitish/yellow things. they mostly appeared on some of the newspaper pieces and leaves. I thought they were worm eggs and didn't think twice. This was about two weeks ago, my second week of having the worms. I also noticed that every time I opened the top most of the worms would be grouped together on top of the bedding in the corners, lying side by side. Last week they were not on top when I opened it but there were plenty of worms throughout the bedding and in the food. They have been fed a diet of various lettuce's, tomato's, bread pieces, coffee grounds and egg shells. I also started the bedding with a small amount of outside dirt. So anyway, this morning I lifted the top and again no worms on top like before, I did see a bunch in the food and what looked to be very small worms - babies. then I noticed many more clusters of the egg shape things. I looked more closely and they were moving. then I looked more closely and they were clustered around a worm and it seemed to me they were eating the worm. The worm was moist not dry and dead, but not moving. So I am worried that they will spread and eat all the baby worms. I got one of the unidentified insects on my finger and inspected it. Mind you this thing is tiny, but it resembled a tick - the round white thing and very small legs and maybe a face. it definitely had legs and crawled. If someone knows what this may be and can confirm that it is either harmful or not that would be much appreciated. I am a month into my worm farm and started with 1500 worms...would hate to have to start over. If you need other info on what I have included in the farm please let me know. I also have noticed strange bugs in my worm composter. I was expecting mites and fruit flies and the like…but I think I have something that is causing trouble. I noticed a cluster of small – half a millimeter in diameter – whitish/yellow things. they mostly appeared on some of the newspaper pieces and leaves. I thought they were worm eggs and didn’t think twice. This was about two weeks ago, my second week of having the worms. I also noticed that every time I opened the top most of the worms would be grouped together on top of the bedding in the corners, lying side by side. Last week they were not on top when I opened it but there were plenty of worms throughout the bedding and in the food. They have been fed a diet of various lettuce’s, tomato’s, bread pieces, coffee grounds and egg shells. I also started the bedding with a small amount of outside dirt. So anyway, this morning I lifted the top and again no worms on top like before, I did see a bunch in the food and what looked to be very small worms – babies. then I noticed many more clusters of the egg shape things. I looked more closely and they were moving. then I looked more closely and they were clustered around a worm and it seemed to me they were eating the worm. The worm was moist not dry and dead, but not moving. So I am worried that they will spread and eat all the baby worms. I got one of the unidentified insects on my finger and inspected it. Mind you this thing is tiny, but it resembled a tick – the round white thing and very small legs and maybe a face. it definitely had legs and crawled. If someone knows what this may be and can confirm that it is either harmful or not that would be much appreciated. I am a month into my worm farm and started with 1500 worms…would hate to have to start over. If you need other info on what I have included in the farm please let me know.

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