Comments on: Bugs Ate My Worms! https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bugs-ate-my-worms WAY Too Much Fun With Worms! Tue, 08 Oct 2019 12:10:37 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bentley https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-1047315 Tue, 08 Oct 2019 12:10:37 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-1047315 Hey Luz – there really aren’t too many bugs that will come in and wipe out a worm population. What is far more common is worms dying off for another reason (eg poor bin management) and then some other critter moving in to clean up the dead/dying worms. There are certain kinds of beetles that consume wastes – others that consume the little critters that consume wastes (eg springtails) – so even if these are indeed beetles they MAY not be actually doing anything to your worms. Feel free to email me some photos and/or share more info about your set up (system, where it is sitting, foods added etc)

]]> By: Luz https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-1047295 Sun, 15 Sep 2019 15:47:05 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-1047295 Woke up this morning to worms desperately escaping my bin I take a closer look and there is hundreds of tiny black Beatles killing my worms. I have no idea where they came from or what they are. I have hundreds of dead worms now.

]]> By: Bentley https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-1047244 Fri, 09 Aug 2019 20:22:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-1047244 Sounds like Black Soldier Fly larvae – very normal in warmer regions. I would be surprised if they were literally eating live worms though. They are great for processing wastes – they aren’t predators. They tend to thrive in conditions not ideal for worms (hot with lots of rich waste materials). I would stop feeding, and add lots of bedding (eg shredded corrugated cardboard). Ideally, something like a worm hotel should be kept indoors.

]]> By: Marilyn Simpson https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-1047242 Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:28:17 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-1047242 There are large (1.5″) segmented maggoty things in my worm hotel which are eating both the worms and the compost. What on earth could these be? I’m considering starting over after sterilizing the trays……Please help!

]]> By: Kristan https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-41815 Sat, 29 Jun 2013 19:44:49 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-41815 Hi, I have really tiny little, like almost not visible, species in with red worms. When I take them out they actually jump. I only noticed cause I was fishing and was looking really close. Should I be worried?

]]> By: clay Wilcox https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-38698 Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:11:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-38698 I think my worms are dead.The soil is very moist and there are lots of slugs and ants but very few worms
What can I use to add bedding.
I have lots of saw dust
would that work?

]]> By: Beth Black https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-36910 Thu, 10 May 2012 22:53:15 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-36910 Help! I have flies, not fruit flies but possibly cluster flies, swarming all around the space where I have my worm bin. I think they are cluster flies because there are many,many in the window. I started my Worm Factory 360 in January. I’m now on my second tray and all had been going well until now. About two weeks ago I moved the Factory outside on my shaded porch. That lasted only 5 days because it was too hot for them, even in the shade. We have already hit 95 degree days. I live in El Paso which is the desert and work constantly trying to keep the bin moist enough. Most of the time our Dew Point is 10 or less.
Do Cluster Flys’ larvae eat my red worms? Most important, how do I get rid of them?

Thanks for your help,
Beth

]]> By: Bentley https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-25180 Mon, 03 May 2010 14:34:42 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-25180 In reply to Kate.

Hi Kate,
Your plan should work (although the nematodes might be unnecessary – especially given how expensive they seem to be). As I added in the first comment (as an afterthought), Cluster Flies (according to a university research page) are not associated with manure, compost etc at all, so I really don’t think that’s what these are. Given the lighter color and larger size I think I may actually be familiar with the type of fly you are referring to.
Again, I’m certainly not saying Cluster Flies are not a potential threat – just not so sure that they would be in poultry manure like that.

]]> By: Kate https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-25179 Mon, 03 May 2010 14:29:28 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-25179 Thanks, Bentley. I’ll spread out the piles to lift the salt/ammonia burden. What do you think of capping the whole (spreaded) mess with black, plastic to kill the flies, then let good nematodes go at the larvae after the frost-free date? I’ve been composting since ’94 guess I might have become complacent. Also, we had FEMA-eligible flooding here a month ago and if these guys are cluster flies, I read that they go wherever worms abound. Any and all new intelligence greatly appreciated. Thanks again. K

]]> By: Bentley https://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-25178 Mon, 03 May 2010 14:20:15 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/bugs-ate-my-worms/#comment-25178 In reply to Kate.

Hi Kate,
There are plenty of different fly species that live in manure – most of them harmless to worms, so no need to get too worried just yet. I’d be a wee bit cautious with dumping poultry manure in a worm composting system though – it tends to be high in salts and readily releases ammonia (both are very harmful for worms). If it’s been sitting outside (and getting rained on) for a long time it should be totally fine though.

UPDATE: Hi again, Kate – just did a bit more reading about Cluster Flies (you got me curious). It seems they are not really associated with manure at all. Apparently adults lay their eggs in soil during the spring and the maggots hatch out and find (soil-based) earthworm hosts. I’m sure they could become parasites of composting worms as well, but I haven’t heard that this is a serious issue. Thanks for mentioning it though. I will continue to research this.

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