I have a compost bin which I started a month ago on my balcony. About a week after I started it, I noticed these black bugs running around in it.

When I lift the bin top, I notice a few of them on the newpaper I keep on top of the compost to keep the fruit flies down, but as soon as the light hits them, they run for cover.

It seems to be two bugs connected at their tail end and it can run in either direction without having to turn its body around. It has wings on both parts of its body, but I've never seen it flying. This is a picture of it from the bottom. I wasn't able to take a picture of it from the top because its too fast. I was able to catch one in a clear plastic container and it seems to only stop running when it wedges itself into a groove on the container lid, which is where it is in the picture.

I searched extensively on the web for information about this bug (and/or pictures), but haven't been able to find out anything about it. I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me what it is, and if it should be in my compost.

Thanks, chicainco

I still don't know what it is, but it's not necessarily harmful. In fact, the compost pile can be a very lively place, biologically speaking. That's just nature's cleanup crew at work making compost. If they get out of hand, something might have to be adjusted, but generally speaking, you can let them be.

This is why I tell people not to put the compost pile in the garage, or right under the kitchen window. It's a biological Grand Central Station.

Thanks for the helpful comments. Actually, the "doubleheaded" bug(s) that I was able to get into the clear container (where I took the pict of them) separated into two bugs the next day and were flying around inside the container. They're tiny black flies flying around the compost (I'll do a search for soldier fly picts). If there are a lot of those, does that mean that the compost is too wet? I turn it often (every 3, 4 days) and did today, and it doesn't seem too wet to me. When I squeeze some in my hand, it clumps but I can't get any water out no matter how hard I squeeze. I thought I read that that "damp sponge" effect is what I should be looking for.

Happily, it doesn't smell bad at all, in fact, it smells like freshly turned dirt whenever I go to turn it (Omg, I'm a compost monster! You know you're a compost monster when you pull the lid off your compost bin, take a breath and say to yourself, "Mmm, that smells good!" :) and, besides some scraps of shredded paper, I can't really see any of the specific foods scraps I put in when I started the pile, which is a sign that something is happening, right?

I'm so thankful for this forum! Its good to be able to talk to others that are into talking about this. My friends are sick of hearing about my compost bin! :)

Regardless of what this bug is, your compost pile sounds great, so keep doing what you're doing!