Raising Earth Worms

A 'Squirm' of Red Worms

It’s funny, I spend so much time reminding people that ‘regular’ soil worms are not well suited for worm composting, yet here I am talking about raising ‘earthworms’. Be assured that the term ‘earthworm’ refers to a wide assortment of different worms, including those used for composting, and does not in fact solely refer to the ‘worms of the earth’ (aka the soil dwellers).


With that out of the way, let’s now talk about how to properly raise worms. I think a lot of people forget about the fact that they are essentially taking care of a living breathing creature – a large number of them in fact – when they start up a worm composting (or worm farming) system. In general, most of the composting worm species are quite tolerant of less-than-ideal conditions, but for the optimal performance of your worm system, your wiggly friends need to have their needs met.

The following is a basic (and brief) guide to the conditions required to raising earthworms effectively. Be assured, I will continue to add more to this page over time.

So what exactly do the worms need?

1) Moisture
2) Warmth
3) A Food source
4) Darkness
5) Oxygen

These are the major requirements (in no particular order) when it comes to taking care of your worms. Let’s now chat about each of them in more detail.


Moisture
Earthworms breathe through their skin and thus need to stay moist at all times. Anyone who has had worms crawl out of their bins will know from experience that they can shrivel up and die relatively quickly, so it is vitally important to make sure that the material in yoru worm bins/beds never dries up – in fact, you should be keeping your bedding as moist as possible. That being said, moisture content can be a double-edged sword. Too much moisture can interfere with one of the other mentioned requirements – oxygen! Water can only hold a certain amount of oxygen (a lot less than air), and as such can go ‘anaerobic’ (ie lose its oxygen) quite quickly – especially in the case of organically-rich liquids which are full of oxygen consuming microorganisms.

Many people refer to the ideal moisture content of a worm bin as being similar to that of a “wrung out sponge”. This is an easy do-it-yourself determination of moisture content that has been borrowed from the composting (ie ‘regular’ composting – not worm composting) field. Research has actually shown that composting worms typically prefer a moisture content higher than that typically recommended for thermophilic composting – even as high as 80-90% (Edwards & Lofty, 1996). That being said, the ‘wrung out sponge’ level of moisture is almost certainly a better approach – especially for those with limited worm composting experience – since it can be very easy to end up with too much moisture in your bin. This is especially true when using sealed plastic bins.


Warmth
Red Worms (Eisenia fetida) are certainly amongst the most cold-hardy of the composting worms. According to Glenn Munroe, author of the ‘Manual of On-Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture’ (you will need Adobe Acrobat reader to view), adults of this species have been known to survive being encased in frozen material, and that cocoons are well adapted to survive sub-zero temps for extended periods. I know from personal experience that it is relatively easy to keep a population of Red Worms alive outdoors over the winter with some protection from the cold. Of course, keeping the worms alive is far different than providing them with the requirements for optimal performance! Interestingly enough, optimal temperatures for breeding can be a fair bit different than those for overall worm growth. According to Edwards (1988), the optimal temperature range for breeding Eisenia fetida (red wigglers) is 15-20C (59-68F), yet maximum growth (weight gain) occurs closer to 25C (77F). A similar pattern is reported for other species as well. Speaking of other species, I should also mention that the tropical composting species, such as the African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus eugeniae) and the Blue Worm (Perionyx excavatus) will actually die at temperatures below 10C (50F).

On the other end of the spectrum are the upper limits for worm survival. Eisenia fetida once again outshines the competition, tolerating bed temperatures reportedly as high as 43C (109.4F) according to Reinecke et al. (1992). That being said, it is definitely best to avoid letting your worm bed temperatures go above 30C (86F) whenever possible, as the success of your worms will decline markedly past this point.


Food Source
As I’ve discussed elsewhere on the site, it is actually the microorganisms growing on waste materials that provides the main source of nutrition, not the material itself – but of course the worms do manage to slurp up the rotting material in the process. This is the reason I highly recommend setting up your worm bin (with bedding and ‘food’) well before you even get your worms. By the time you add the worms to the system there will be a very rich microbial community waiting. Ever since starting to take this approach myself I had no problems with worms trying to escape from a new bin.

The best food sources are therefore the materials that support the richest microbial population. This helps to explain why animal manures are pretty well the best material to grow composting worms in! One important factor to keep in mind when considering the potential of various waste materials is the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio. Generally speaking, a C:N in the range of 20:1 to 30:1 is going to be ideal (similar to thermophilic composting). Below this range there is the tendency for nitrogen to be lost as gaseous ammonia; above this range decomposition can proceed more slowly, with N being the limiting factor.


Darkness
Worms prefer it dark – there is no doubt about it! In fact, extended periods in direct sunlight can kill worms. One of the commonly used techniques for keeping worms in a new bin relies on this very principle. If you find that your wigglers are attempting to migrate out of the bin (and don’t notice any obvious hazard that is causing the stress) you can generally keep them where they are by shining a light directly overhead!.

Some guideliness for maintaining darkness for your worms can include using opaque (ie not ‘see-through’) containers, keeping your worm systems in low light areas (not really necessary if you take other measures), and providing ample bedding material to help block out the light. Don’t let this scare you too much though – you can still play with your worms from time to time without harming them.
🙂

If you are keen to observe your worms for extended periods (ideal for a classroom setting) you can set up your own ‘dark room’ using red lights (this wavelength of light does not bother worms).


Oxygen
While way more tolerant of low O2 concentrations than us, composting worms are still aerobic organisms, thus it’s important to make sure your worm bin doesn’t go anaerobic on you. You need to be especially cautious when using plastic containers, since they do not ‘breathe’ the way some other materials (such as wood) do. If you are using a homemade plastic tub worm bin you should probably drill some holes in the top and sides (1/8″ drill bit should work well) – you don’t need to go too overboard though – obviously you don’t want the contents of the bin to dry out, or to let too much light in. If you have some sort of catch tray or lower reservoir (as shown in my ‘deluxe’ worm bin video), drilling some drain holes in the bottom of your bin (perhaps 2-4) will help alleviate the potential for water pooling in the bottom of your bin.

Another great way to encourage increased oxygenation is the use of bulky bedding materials like shredded cardboard, paper and leaves (although paper can sometimes become matted down, thus impeding air flow). This allows air to reach the inner zones of the composting mass, where the worms are typically hanging out. The choice of container for your worm bin is also an important consideration. You will want a container that has a high surface area to volume ratio. A relatively shallow Rubbermaid tub for example, is much better than a bucket since it encourages much greater air-flow throughout the materials contained inside.

The activity of the worms themselves will also aid in aerating the system, so unlike a hot composting pile, you won’t ever need to ‘turn’ your worm systems.


So there you have it! As you can see, successfully raising your worms depends on a small handful of important considerations. If you master these variables you’ll be amazed with the success of your worm population!
Once again, I will definitely be adding more to this page over time so be sure to check back periodically – or better yet, sign up for my newsletter and be kept up to date on all the new and exciting developments on the site!

REFERENCES
Edwards, C.A. 1988. Breakdown of animal, vegetable and industrial organic wastes by earthworms. In: Earthworms in waste and environmental management. Edwards, C.A. & Neuhauser, E.F. (eds). SPB Academic Publishing Co, The Hague, pp. 21-31.

Edwards, C.A. and P.J. Bohlen. 1996. The biology and ecology of earthworms (3rd Edition). Chapman & Hall, London, 426pp.

Reinecke, A.J., Viljoen, S.A. and R.J. Saayman. 1992. The suitability of Eudrilus eugeniae, Perionyx excavatus and Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta) for vermicomposting in Southern Africa in terms of their temperature requirements. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 24(12): 1295-1307.


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Comments

  1. I thought article was great but it leaves me with a question. I just ordered african night crawlers and on inquirey as to their cold tolarence they emailed and said that they keep theirs out doors and the nights there are now below freezing and they have no problem.
    You if we are talking of the same species will likly die at tempatures below 50F or 10 c. The scientific name of theirs is I think :Eudrillus Eugeniae. Which is right or are they both fight somehow? Oscar

    • Bentley
    • January 3, 2008

    Hi Oscar,
    Thanks for stopping by.
    I’d be interested to know what sort of system they are keeping their African Nightcrawlers in so as to avoid the dangers of cold temperatures. While I have never grown them myself (thus don’t have first hand experience), I’ve read of their cold intolerance in numerous different sources (scientific studies etc).
    Anyway, this is really interesting, if they (suppliers) are indeed able to keep them outdoors.
    Feel free to send me an email to discuss this further.
    🙂

    Cheers

    Bentley

  2. To your first question:I think he keeps his worm bins under rabbit cages.I’m sure he is wrong on there cold tolerance but I wanted your comments on that.
    I have another question:What is this worm: is it a good one to raise for bait:Pheretima Hawayanus Thank you Oscar

  3. Hey Bently:

    Just wanted to give you the nod on your video.

    I have a background in biology(waste management). I live on a farm, and between the horses and the goats…well, you know what I have plenty of.

    My wife runs a business out of her home office, and the amount of paper and cardboard generated here is surprising.

    I was sitting on the porch a few days ago looking at all the landscaping I need to do(New house…been building a farm. Zero landscaping), and it clicked.

    I need worms.

    So thanks. I’ve got everything but the worms on hand.

    How many(er, in weight I suppose) worms did you start out with in your deluxe worm farm video?

    I’m going to play with that size with one more tub on the bottom for the tea.

    I was thinking about putting some window screening over the holes on the tub above. Any thoughts?

    Anyway, thanks.

    JW

    • Bentley
    • January 7, 2008

    Interesting, Oscar! One thing to keep in mind – even though African Nightcrawlers are supposed to be very intolerant to cold, if you can keep their system warm somehow I’m sure they could be kept outside in cooler weather. You mentioned them being situated below rabbit cages. Perhaps they receive enough nitrogen to stimulate heating (like ‘hot composting’) in the beds. This is how I keep my outdoor bin warm during winter weather (along with insulation).

    Pheretima hawayanus is the ‘Alabama Jumper’, if I am not mistaken. It is another warmish climate worm that can be used for worm composting. There is not a great deal of information about this worm in the scientific literature unfortunately, so I don’t know all that much about it. I’m planning to put together a page on the site all about various species, and will be sure to include some info about it there.

    B.

    P.S. Have you considered raising European Nightcrawlers for bait? They are pretty well the ultimate bait worm – very easy to raise, good size, and last long on the hook even in cold water.

    • Bentley
    • January 7, 2008

    Hi Jonathon,
    Thanks for the note. Sounds like you are indeed in an ideal situation for worm composting.

    I split 1lb of European Nightcrawlers between the two bins (‘basic’ and ‘deluxe’ bins) made in the vids. The basic bin probably ended up with 3/4 of a lb and, as I wrote this morning, these worms have now been moved to a larger system.

    In your case I would definitely recommend using multiple large Rubbermaid tubs, or even constructing some sort of large worm ‘bed’.

    I would first mix the horse/goat manure with the paper/cardboard and heap it up to create a ‘hot composting’ pile. Composting the materials this way for a week or two will help stabilize it and kill off weed seeds etc. You’ll have less issues with ammonia (toxic to worms), and the worms should be able to process it much more quickly. It is especially important that they have a safe habitat to live in, so if you mix in manure with your bedding when preparing the system, be sure to let the mix age for awhile before adding worms.

    If you have some old manure heaps on your property you should use this material since the worms will likely love it. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find a ‘wild’ population of Red Worms that you didn’t know about!

    Your window screening idea is a good one. I’ve read that worms can actually squeeze through holes that small, but I think the likelihood is much less. Another possibility is landscaping cloth.

    B.

    • Billy Ray Hook
    • February 29, 2008

    I live on 75 acres in South Texas. I have an old barn with a cement floor. It is 30ft X 60Ft. I have acquired old wooden packing crates that are 12″ deep, 13″ wide and 10 foot long. I presently have about 25 of them with the promise of as many as I can use.no cost on this item. I put three of them side by side and elevate them on saw horses. I then have a two foot aisle between them. The cows produce all the manure that I could ever use. I shred old hay that has been trampled and beat down by the cows. My doctor’s office shreds a lot of paper and cardboard. They said come and get it.I also bought a shredder from
    Walmart. The local coffee shop saves all of the used coffee and tea grounds and old papers and circulars. The reason I started was because I have three stock tanks stocked with bass, catfish and perch and I got tired of buying not only fish food, but worms to fish with out of my own ponds. I then put out the word that I needed old phone books and shredded paper. I got my bins completely set up and called the closest place that would sell worms. I then went and visited with Bruce from Decker Worm Sales. He has am excellent web-site and is eager to share information on how to do this type of project. I initially bought two pounds to see if I had the right situation. They started producing coccoons soon and they appeared to be healthy. During all of this I am on the internet reading and researching everything I could find. I am now all set up and called Bruce and we decided that I would get another ten pounds from him, put about two pounds in each of the first five or six bins and then just sit back. From all of the information I have read, if I wait another two months, I will have enough worms to start fishing with and by the end of the year I can start feeding the worms on a regular basis to the fish, and effectively eliminating my need to buy worms or fish food and also have castings for gardens and flowers. As the bins begin to multiply, I will pull from them and put worms in the now vacant bins. I would appreciate any and all comments, suggestions, and advice on worms. My e-mail address is bhook3115@Gmail.com

    • James Cargal
    • April 22, 2008

    Well Bentley I own a worm bin and in raising them I sometimes thought of: how do they taste?

    • Frank Tabor
    • May 7, 2008

    Thanks for all the great worm info! I’m reading up on how to raise my own for my fishing. I have a question on shredded papers: Is there any issues with ink and/or color? I’ve heard some say newsprint is good, but not the colored comics. Also that typical computer printers papers should not be used because of the type of ink. Appreciate your comments. Thanks, Frank

    • Bentley
    • May 7, 2008

    Hi Frank,
    I will occasionally use coloured paper etc, but I never use anything that is glossy and coloured. I don’t know all the facts as far as danger of the chemicals in these inks goes, but I just don’t take chances with it. I’m pretty sure there are heavy metals in these inks which can accumulate in your worm system and your worms if continually used.

    I also generally don’t use too much white office/printer paper (once in awhile though) since it can contain bleach and other chemicals. In moderation it is ok though.

    • Eve
    • May 11, 2008

    Ok i couldn’t resist, just for James Cargal, I would think they taste wormie.

    • Camden
    • June 23, 2008

    Frank I have seen and heard the same things. So I never use any color just to be safe. I use some old six grade math books that I saw in the recycle bin. Yes I am a six soon to be seventh grader.

    • sjyoung
    • July 2, 2008

    Hi,
    i have wide open space with minimal shade. And I am in the Philippines a warm to hot country.
    what is your suggested depth of the bins?

  4. I am serious about raising worms , tired of buying them , I fish alot , there are large worms here in arkansas naturally , dont know what kind they are but they are real big ? I need info on starting a farm , tapes dvd’s books web sites , Any info will be helpful .Tank you sir . T ………..72904

    • Bentley
    • July 13, 2008

    Hey Big T,
    In my opinion the best all around worm to raise for bait is the European Nightcrawler. They are tough, easy to raise – and much larger than your typically Red Worm.
    Anyway, feel free to drop me a line if you want to chat more about raising bait worms.

    B

    • Toledo
    • August 5, 2008

    I live in Arizona- very hot and my house temp is about 78 to 80. I bought a worm house to raise and compost in doors 4 tray worm house. I have shredded cardboard from shredding machine, placed the coconut block in water and rang them out with my hands placing in bottom tray and some in 2nd tray along with couple hand fulls of dirt out of my outside compost bin, and placed vegatable and fruit for food. I am waiting on my worms but does everything sound good? I am afraid the tempature might be to hot?

    • Bentley
    • August 7, 2008

    Hi Toledo,
    78 to 80 actually isn’t too bad. It’s once you are up over 90 or 100 that you can start to see issues with the worms. That said, if it’s 70-80 in your house, it could very well be a fair bit warmer in the worm bin itself (due to microbial activities associated with breakdown of waste materials).

    If I was setting up a stacking system I would simply start with the bottom tray, only adding more as the trays become filled with vermicompost.
    If you have mixed everything (those materials described) up really well and are letting it sit before the worms arrive I think you should be in decent shape for their introduction into the system.

    You might want to get yourself a compost thermometer, or even better yet a meat thermometer (given small size of worm bins) to see how hot it is in the bin. If you’ve added lots of food materials it could be very warm (especially given the temperature in your house).

    B

    • Toledo
    • August 11, 2008

    Another question- I have a fire pit which basically I am wondering if the ashes from the wood are any good for the worm bin?

    • Bentley
    • August 12, 2008

    Hi Toledo,
    I personally wouldn’t recommend adding that material to your worm bin. I’ve heard it can be added to normal ‘hot composting’ piles and to your garden in moderation, but I’d be concerned that it might harm the worms.

    B

    • Toledo
    • August 12, 2008

    Toledo here again, sorry for the questions. I just got my worms today they were very HOT when I opened up the package since the UPS guy left them outside. Few of them were wiggling around didn’t get chance to really look at them cause had come back to work. BUt my question is should I seperate the dirt/compost that came in package to what I have in the worm farm house? There was alot of dirt/compost

    • Bentley
    • August 12, 2008

    Hi Toledo,
    Interesting that you would get them so early in the week (Tues) – most suppliers (ours included) send them out early in the week to avoid having them sit at the depot over the weekend.

    Anyway, I would definitely recommend keeping the material they are in – this can actually be very helpful as far as adjusting to the new system goes. Just be sure to spread the worms and material around and leave the lid off of your system for awhile to give them lots of air and a chance to cool down.
    The worms should have been shipped in peat moss or something other inert bedding (eg coconut coir), not dirt – but perhaps that’s just what it looked like based on your quick assessment.

    B

    • Toledo
    • August 18, 2008

    Worried that worms are getting to hot. Just making sure if what I am doing is OK or harming the worms

    I am utilizing all 4 trays on my worm bin because I read that if the worms feel to hot that they would move up and down the worm bin to there liking.

    I put the cover on top which I check every morning parnoid. I notice pretty good amount of moisture on top of bin and sometimes worm up there which I think they are trying to escape, possible to hot. Also notice maggots and mites which trying to clean up.

    So now what I am doing is taking top lid off during day time and placing it back at night.

    I also have been checking the other trays below and there worms still down there pretty good amount. Of course I want lots of worms and if everything goes well I want start up Nightcrawler bin. I want be first AZ worm guy. So what you think is there anything I should be doing differantly? I know you mention to start them in 1 bin

    Should I be checking the bins every day or should I back off some?

    • Kelley
    • August 18, 2008

    I’m worried about my worm bin. My worms seem to be trying to crawl out. I just cleaned the bin out about 3 weeks ago and layered the bottom with shredded damp pine bedding. The kind you would buy for your hamster cage. I wet it down and it still feels moist. I put the worms and alot of casings back into the bin along with food. I am using a large tub with holes drill in the bottom for drainage and the top for air. They are in my garage where it is about 50 all of the time. Is it normal for them to crawl up the sides? I am new to this type of composting. Thank you for any comments.
    Kelley

    • Bentley
    • August 20, 2008

    Toledo – given your conditions, it probably isn’t a bad idea to check on the worms every day – just try to limit it to once or twice per day if you can. Leaving the lid off during the day is a good idea -this should really help with air flow and allow the system to cool down some. Finding a few worms up on the lid is not a big deal – some worms just seem to like exploring. If the bin overheats you will definitely see them down in the reservoir or up in the uppermost tray in huge abundance. I think your are on track.

    • Bentley
    • August 20, 2008

    Kelley – it is totally normal for them to crawl up the sides a little, but if there are a LOT on the sides and lid it likely indicates conditions not to their liking.
    I’d be a little nervous about pine shavings – i would imagine that the resin in the wood could irritate the worms, but really it just comes down to how they respond – if they are suddenly trying to escape then it is likely the bedding causing the issues.
    By the way, I’d definitely recommend shredded cardboard (corrugated or egg carton cardboard) or newsprint over wood chips, since they are much more absorbent and won’t take nearly as long to break down.

    Keeping your worms in temperatures in the 50 (Celsius I assume) range can certainly explain some potential issues as well – this is way too hot for them.

    B

    • Toledo
    • October 23, 2008

    Well my worm bin is doing real well, thank you! But have question about egg shells. Is it vitally important to have egg shells and is it necessary to crush them? I have seen sample worm bins with egg shells not crushed. I have been using the arizona dirt for grout which does not seem to bother worm.

    • Bentley
    • October 24, 2008

    It is definitely not vitally important to have eggs shells. If you DO end up using them, crushing them helps to release calcium more quickly and decreases the time required before they disappear (which is a very long time in general).

    • ilana hicks
    • October 29, 2008

    I have received 2 lbs of the red worms I ordered last week, look great, thank you.
    My question is: how do you separate the worms from the last bit of unprocessed food in the lower tray? There are a few big pieces of food that I should have shredded first, apparently. Ilana

    • Bentley
    • October 31, 2008

    Hi Ilana,
    If you are using a stacking system (which I suspect you are), the worms should basically separate themselves by continuing to move upwards as you add new trays. If there were bulky food materials added to the first tray you may need to wait for the worms to fully process them -generally, I wouldn’t add even the second tray until the materials in the first tray are well on their way to being processed.

    • Kaplan
    • November 20, 2008

    My school is doing a composting project and I was wondering if there were any examples of worm composting for a school of 300 kids?

    • Bentley
    • November 21, 2008

    Hi Kaplan,
    I highly recommend that you check out ‘The Worm Cafe’, by Binet Payne. It describes a large-scale vermicomposting project started at a school, and I suspect it would be VERY applicable for your situation.
    Here is a link to a site that sells it:
    http://www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/Wormwoman_catalog_The_Worm_Cafe_4.html

    Hope this helps

  5. Bentley,

    What do you suggest to harvest my castings? Right now I have a harvester from http://www.wackyworldsof.com. While this thing has greatly sped up my harvesting time, I am still looking for something to do the job a little faster. I am not ready to buy their commercial harvester but I would still like to lessen the time it takes me to go through my worm bins and harvest. Also, I am getting to the point where I can produce way more than I can use. Where is a good place to sell my extra castings?

    Kevin Pearson

    • Bentley
    • November 30, 2008

    Hey Kevin,
    I’m not focusing too much on castings production at the moment. Any material separated from the worms is generally used again as a means of increasing the worm population in my beds/bins (since lots of cocoons and baby worms in it).

    B

    • Bentley
    • November 30, 2008

    By the way, Kevin – here are some posts that may be of interest to you:
    https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-photos/johns-homemade-worm-harvester/
    https://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/diy-worm-harvester/

    As for selling castings – focusing on the regional market is definitely the best bet since castings cost a lot to ship. Are their any famer’s markets in your area? Maybe you could set up a table there. Selling online is also a good option.

  6. Thanks Bentley, that is pretty close to what I have already. Just the turning it by hand thing is getting old. I am thinking of rigging up some kind of motor to it that would turn the thing slowly for me while I loaded it. I’ll let you know if I can pull that project off.

    Kevin Pearson

    • Talina ( Quebec )
    • December 9, 2008

    Hi there Bentley,

    I decided to write to you here, i hope it is the place you were referring to in the email.

    So, basicly what I did with my fruit fly problem was to take my bin into a small enclosed room, open it and vaccume up the cloud that issued forth.
    It took some time and some courage, but all in all it was easier to do this than to sort through my bin again.
    I checked on it today, repeating the process mentioned above, and to my pleasure there were dramaticly fewer fruit flies . Now I just have to take the vaccume to the stagglers.

    I think I will continue this routine until I have concoured, and then maybe level it out to a weekly thing.

    • scott
    • December 12, 2008

    help? got these red worms out of florida in october…. stared at em every day for weeks…. pondering their reputed effectiveness at composting kitchen waste. I read they do better if you tend to not disturb them very often?….. so I leave them alone for a few weeks…. open them up tonight… kinda tip the containor around some and notice a fair amount of small white bugs in scattered groupes around the bin, then i see ,clear as a bell, a worm that is clearly weak and thin by comparrisson to most of the others (purchased a 1# pkg) and the rear half of this worm is covered with these bugs apparently? attacking this worm that the front half squirms when you touch it and the back looks dead…. are/do these bugs frequently kill worms? are they a help at composting or a pest attacking my worms?
    -stearite 15 gal (uncovered… 40 watt grow light on the ceiling)
    -primarily peat/news print bedding…..
    -PH is 6.0-6.3 with a soil temp of 58.6 ( ph/temp probe for my salt water tank used in three seperate places…) basement location…. winter time in Michigan
    low food scraps added in a month and a half 2#

    • Bentley
    • December 15, 2008

    Hi Scott,
    Those are almost certainly a very common species of white mite that appear in worm bins, often when conditions are declining. While it may look like they are worm predators, they are actually just cleaning up the carnage from some other problem in the bin – they often seem to get a little over-eager, feeding on the worms before they are completely dead! They very often appear after too much food has been added at once (something that can definitely cause issues in a worm bin, especially early on). You mentioned not adding much in the way of food, so I’m a little puzzled.
    Did you rinse the peat before using it? It can be quite acidic so this could potentially cause some issues, although worms are quite resistant to acidic conditions (and your numbers don’t look bad at all).
    I guess the main question would be – how many worms are dying??
    It certainly isn’t uncommon to have the odd worm expire every now and again – it should only worry you if you see multiple dying worms, and any other indication of worm stress (coiled up together in a ball, trying to escape en mass etc).

    • scott
    • December 15, 2008

    Thanks for the input….. I was wondering if I wasn’t feeding them enough…. the only thing still identifiable in the bin is a few granny smith apple skins, what looks like a soil covered banana and a few egg shells…. (I been picking some of the stuff out that seems to resist being eaten… i.e. coffee filters seem to take forever…).

    some are looking weak today…. don’t move very much… others are fairy lively…. added a bit of new bedding…. news print and corr. cardboard, the temps?… cool in a michigan basement 58+- deg f. I took a few healthier looking youg worms and started them in a second bin… only a half a dozen ,hope that is not a needed back stop…

    thought I had overfed initially, held off for a few weeks….. looks fairly thin as far as actual food goes…. they could eat their bedding if they had to….

    • Bentley
    • December 16, 2008

    Hi Scott,
    In my experience, it is SO much easier to kill worms by overfeeding than by underfeeding. When worms are neglected they simply shrink in size and feed on any organic matter that’s left in the bin. They can get really, really small – but should still be quite vigorous.

    Out of curiosity – have you and I been having an exchange over at Vermicomposters.com as well? If so, and there is ANY chance you have PEs, I could see these lowish temps leading to some of this – although, based on what I’ve read, they generally don’t die until temps go below 10 C (50 F). Would love to see some pics if you have any.

    • Scott
    • December 20, 2008

    Yes, we are possibly talking twice…. was looking for different inputs at diff. sites……. have since brought the worms upstairs (wifes not overly happy…) …. soil temps have increased…. 63 deg f +- the worms appear to have moved up towards the top surface instead of being so deep in the soil… they are supposed to be eisena fo…. for $24.80 out of florida, at least thats the

    • Scott
    • December 20, 2008

    oops…. stopped mid way there…. at least thats what the add said, and what we thought we were ordering

    • T.K.
    • December 20, 2008

    Scott where r u from. To whom it may concern. I would like to know exactly what to feed worms. I use to have a worm bed and me and my son use to feed them leftover food, bread, cornmeal and etc.

    We went out one day and dug over 3000 worms in about 2hrs and they just grew and grew. Now we live in another place and we just went in the woods and dug about 300. But we have them in a five gallon bucket.

    I feed them cornmeal only. I would like to go and get more but don’t have the space to keep them. I live in Orlando, Florida and we just go anywhere and get them so easy. Most of them are wigglers.

    If anyone have any suggestion r helpful hints for us please email us at
    ginkygcart@aol.com.

    Hope to hear from someone.

    May god bless.

    • scott
    • December 20, 2008

    west michigan…..

    • Quentin
    • January 15, 2009

    Hi there,

    I currently have one worm farm which has been going for about 9 months now, which I started with 2000 worms. My goal is to use the castings for the garden beds of my average sized block. Obviously I am not producing enough at the moment but was wondering if anyone could tell me roughly how many worms I would need (provided I took care of them) to produce enough castings to fill a 1/2 gallon (2 litre) container of castings once a week?

    Thanks,

    Quentin

    • james
    • February 1, 2009

    hi i made me own worm farm but i dont no were to buy red worms from soo im useing garden worms.i wnted to no if i can mix red worms and earth worms in the same worm bin.also show quick do worms muiply.

    • Bentley
    • February 4, 2009

    Hi Quentin – just saw this comment now. Sorry about that.
    Unfortunately I don’t really have an answer for you either. The thing about vermicomposting is that it is incredibly difficult to come up with set-in-stone rules since there are so many different variables at work. The type of waste you use, the temperature, moisture content, air flow etc etc are all really important factors. My suggestion would be to get started with a couple of pounds of worms and just go from there. The other thing to remember is that it is going to take some time before you will have castings, and be able to continually harvest them – during this ‘time’ the worms will increase in abundance, thus accelerating the process.
    The type of system you use is also important – a flow-through system is definitely what you should be using if you want to continually harvest castings.

    Hope this helps!
    B

    • Bentley
    • February 4, 2009

    James,
    I know I am a little biased (haha), but you can certainly buy worms from us. Just looked for the “Buy Worms” link above or the “I’ve got worms” banner over to the left.
    🙂
    Garden worms do not do well in a worm bin. They may survive for quite awhile, but your chances of having them reproduce are slim to none – the worm bin simply does not offer them their ideal habitat and living conditions. I would recommend keeping them (and garden soil) out of your red worm bin.
    The reproduction times of red worms is highly variable, but one stat that is commonly used is ‘doubling every ninety days’ – keep in mind this definitely doesn’t mean you will have twice as many adults in 90 days – it simply refers to the total number of worms. Also, this is definitely not a set-in-stone fact – just an estimate. I conducted an experiment starting with 5 adult worms. Within 5 months I had at least 120 worms, BUT most of them were juveniles.

    Hope this helps

    B

    • Amy in New Orleans
    • February 22, 2009

    Hello!

    I love your site. I lived in a house in California years ago and set up a good sized worm bin I had bought through the city of Oakland. It was outside in the backyard and my E. foetida did very well. I also worked culturing an already-set-up colony of E. foetida for a while in my early 20s. So I thought I knew about composting worms, but I have a new worm bin and they are not happy.

    I have not had composting worms for quite a number of years, and my friend here in New Orleans (where I’ve lived for 1.5 years) just split a starter box of redworms with me. This was just a few days ago. We probably only have about 100 worms each, so I set up a pretty small opaque plastic bin. (maybe 1 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot). The weather is so extreme here (chilly sometimes in winter, otherwise often extremely hot), I figure an indoor bin is my best bet.

    For my new bin, At first I just drilled some holes in the top, put moist newspaper, a tiny bit of soil, and some crushed eggshells in there, along with a little bit of parsley in the bin. Everything seemed pretty good for a few days — no escapees. (Although my friend was having a lot of escapee problems at her house, we had none.) Then two days ago I noticed a few worms up near the top of the bin when I opened it. No escapees, but it made me concerned. I added some chopped up turnip greens and they seemed very happy, no escapees still, although still a couple up near the top. It seemed very humid in the bin with some condensation inside. No pooling exactly, but some condensation. I did some reading and decided 1) To move the bin because it was sharing a wall with the washing machine and dryer (in the next room), and was near a heating vent, and I read they don’t like vibration. 2) After reading your site, and seeing that many many people recommend a bin with drainage at the bottom, today we made a double-decker bin using your design. We transferred the worms into it this morning. I was a little worried about it because it was impossible not to get the food/soil/newspaper bedding/worms all mixed up when we put the worms in their new house. However, we got the worms into the new bin and put the new bin in a room with no vibration issues. Then we left home for about 6-7 hours. To our horror, when we got home there were maybe 15-20 escapees. The bin smells a bit funny, not sure how to describe it, it’s not methane or sulfur, the best I can describe it is “sharp.” I have done more reading and I wonder if the bin is a little too moist. There is no pooling moisture in the bin at all, but I added a little sprinkling of water this morning and maybe it’s a little too damp now? So, we did more research tonight and put some dry shredded newspaper in it mixed up with the damp bedding, plus a thin layer of dry shredded newspaper on top. Left the worms alone for a little while, maybe an hour. Just now I went back and peeped in and already some worms were up near the top again. I turned on the light and they went back under the bedding. So what we are doing tonight is keeping the bin lid open, covered with plastic wrap with holes poked in it for ventilation, with the light in the room on. I found the posting where the worm bin MacGuyver even put an LED nightlight in his bin, and although that seems a bit cruel to them, I am thinking of trying it.

    So what do you think? Do the worms just need time to get used to their third new house within a week’s time? Too much change for the worms? Do you think it could be a little too damp in there for them? What do you think the sharp smell is? Should I just keep the lid off with the ventilated plastic wrap and the light on, to force them to stay in their new home? Or do you think there is a larger problem with the conditions in the bin? I know escapees are not uncommon in a new bin, but it really makes me sad when they get out. I feel like a bad worm caretaker. Should I try the LED night light in the bin?

    Your advice would be welcomed.

    Thanks, and happy Mardi Gras!
    Amy in New Orleans

  7. Is it reasonable to feel a person can realize 20k or more in a period of a year plus or minus in sales by investing quality time and effort in this business. If so, how many years or months would it take? I am in the beginning of my retirement and this looks like an interesting field to consider.

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