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| Usually worms are few and far between in my wooden bin, because each shredded batch (covered with 3 coffee sacks) reaches 50-60 degrees C. Also, the surrounding ground is quite compacted and not the sort of environment for Compost worms.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d152/ISO1/Compostbin_zps9d4f78ec.jpg However, this year has seen an appearance of adult worms. How they make their way into the bin being a mystery. They are present around the cooler edges when the centre of the compost is hot. I would have expected them to be in contact with the compost itself, but they are solely located between the first and second sacks. When the bin is filled, a week later the contents have heated and almost dried out. 99% of it is 'crisp' and requires a lot of forking over and re-wetting. The worms move in after this stage. Currently I've found a couple of dozen Cocoons, so they're obviously happy there. What I'll to do is remove the sacks and worms intact, and carefully replace them after another turn. I wonder what would happen to them if they ended up at the bottom of the compost instead of being at the top. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| they probably will just either crawl up or maybe out of the bin. if it's aerated at the bottom they most likely will just stay their if it's moist and provides food otherwise if compacted i would think they would go towards the surface. if you have worms in your big bin why not simply start a vermicompost in a seperate bin? you can get more worms that way and simply release them into your outdoor bin when they start crowding |
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| Generally, earthworms need a cool (some say warm), moist environment with an ample food supply to exist. In a properly built compost pile the temperature may well exceed that which earthworms like, as you have seen, and may not be moist enough, the edges as you have noticed also, for them. Earthworms, in a normal compost pile, are not significant digesters because there will be not enough moisture for them and it may get too hot. Vermicomposting requires a medium that is too wet for the thermophilic bacteria that convert the vegetative waste in a normal compost pile to work in. |
Here is a link that might be useful: earthworm ecology
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| Thanks for the interesting info on the link 'kimmsr'. I have also read that worms do not relocate very well, and will initially try to escape if transferred from one type of compost to another. Also, worms brought up in, say, manure compost will be more efficient in processing that material than worms in a vegetable compost, and vice-versa. In my case, I'm surprised that my worms are not in direct contact with the compost, even at the cooler edges, but between the layers of sacking. I have another query; do worms prefer 'young' compost 2-3 weeks old, or a more mature one which has turned brown after a couple of months? |
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| worms will try to escape that is a fact once introducing to a new enviornment this doesn't mean they will just keep a lid on and screen it that solves your problem. also im sure they will eat anything manure or food scraps as technically they are after the bacteria not the food scraps itself. that is why they like it moldy to begin with besides the fact they have no teeth. however since the bacteria is eating the manure itself and the food scraps they will eventually eat that as well along with the bacteria. i would say older compost as it got more time to break down 2-3 weeks alone isn't long to break down compost. you want it more matured in other words easier for them to break down and most likely more microbes on it. you can simply vermicompost newly made compost in general as that is what we are basically doing. adding both nitrogens and carbons + worms and keeping it moist.
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