Comments on: Parasitic Worm Bin Mites? http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bin-creatures/parasitic-worm-bin-mites/ 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: Danny Fairchild http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bin-creatures/parasitic-worm-bin-mites/comment-page-1/#comment-32630 Danny Fairchild Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:13:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1656#comment-32630 Bentley, I teach 5th grade and I do a unit on red worms and composting. My worm bin has been invested with beetle mites. In years past I have had the mites, but not in huge numbers. Something that we do with the bin is investigate worm caccoons. My bin has plenty or worms, but with 5o kids looking we couldn't find a single cacoon. The other day when I shifted my garden compost bin to the garden I found quite a large population of red worms at the bottom of the pile. I scooped some of them with soil into a large bin and brought them to school. The soil had no beetle mites that I could see. We investigated and found a lot of cacoons from the garden compost. Do you have any idea why the difference in cacoons? Are the beetle mite eating the caccoons? Bentley, I teach 5th grade and I do a unit on red worms and composting. My worm bin has been invested with beetle mites. In years past I have had the mites, but not in huge numbers. Something that we do with the bin is investigate worm caccoons. My bin has plenty or worms, but with 5o kids looking we couldn’t find a single cacoon. The other day when I shifted my garden compost bin to the garden I found quite a large population of red worms at the bottom of the pile. I scooped some of them with soil into a large bin and brought them to school. The soil had no beetle mites that I could see. We investigated and found a lot of cacoons from the garden compost. Do you have any idea why the difference in cacoons? Are the beetle mite eating the caccoons?

]]> By: Kevin Jiang http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bin-creatures/parasitic-worm-bin-mites/comment-page-1/#comment-32507 Kevin Jiang Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:12:26 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1656#comment-32507 I saw those mites in my bin before I put it in my Dad's Earth Machine. If you let them crawl on your arm they bite, so I think they are parasitic. (it stings) I saw those mites in my bin before I put it in my Dad’s Earth Machine. If you let them crawl on your arm they bite, so I think they are parasitic. (it stings)

]]> By: Joe http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bin-creatures/parasitic-worm-bin-mites/comment-page-1/#comment-23238 Joe Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:45:59 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1656#comment-23238 Hi Bentley, I have seen mites on my worms fairly often. I was once concerned, but not anymore. I started really watching them closely. The worms were still active. I've seen where some people think it could be the mites eating worms that are on the cusp of death and I don't think that is it. The worms, like the roly-polies and beetles, seem unfazed. I think they are eating stuff off of the worms. Not eating the worms themselves. Plus, they are known for gathering on moist material. Worms in a moist bin are certainly moist material. However, since the worms do crawl down into the bedding or into a clump of worms around food, the mites get brushed off constantly. For that reason I doubt you would see them massing on a worm in the same fashion as they do on a roly-poly. Hi Bentley,

I have seen mites on my worms fairly often. I was once concerned, but not anymore. I started really watching them closely. The worms were still active. I’ve seen where some people think it could be the mites eating worms that are on the cusp of death and I don’t think that is it. The worms, like the roly-polies and beetles, seem unfazed. I think they are eating stuff off of the worms. Not eating the worms themselves. Plus, they are known for gathering on moist material. Worms in a moist bin are certainly moist material. However, since the worms do crawl down into the bedding or into a clump of worms around food, the mites get brushed off constantly. For that reason I doubt you would see them massing on a worm in the same fashion as they do on a roly-poly.

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