Worm Man's Worm Farm

What is in my Worm Bin?!?!

What’s In My Compost Worm Bin? A Guide to Other Critters that

Inhabit Worm Bins.

There are many critters that inhabit worm
bins and beds.  Your first inclination might be to kill everything except
for the worms that you want in the bin.  That’s not what you want to do.
Many of the critters you will find are beneficial and are part of a healthy
community of organisms that you will need to break down the food scraps so that
you will have nutrient rich worm castings as your end product.  I won’t
rattle on here. I’m going to get right into it.

Millipedes

They will not harm your worm or you bin. They eat vegetation and organic matter.

Slugs

Snails

Flies

Flies are a nuisance.
Biting flies are a big nuisance and more so for you and not your worms.  To
rid your bin of flies use a cover and burry the food beneath the bedding.

That will re

duce smell and rid the bin of pest flies.

Spiders

Mold, Fungi, Bacteria

Bacteria in the worm bin is very important.  A soil
without bacteria is dead.  The bacteria breaks down the organic matter so
the worms can eat it.  Good bacteria will help break down food and scraps
so the worms can eat it.  Bad mold, fungi and bacteria can harm worms.

The cause is usually lack of air and bedding that is too wet.  If they
bedding is dripping wet and smells and if the worms are dying or trying to
escape then you probably have a

anaerobic conditions.  You should add dried
crumbled newspaper and dry peat or coir to absorb the moisture and mix every day
until the condition improves. It will improve quickly if the bedding is giving
ample air through turning and drier conditions.

Mold on top of the bed can also be a sign of pH issues or
anaerobic conditions.  Bury food to stop the growth of mold on the top of
the bed. If you are using a dry food like Purina Worm Chow and it is molding
then you are using too much.  Only use as much as the worms will eat in a
24 hour period on the t

op of the bedding.

Sow Bugs

Sow bugs are a great addition to your worm bed. They are
attracted by the moisture and food sources like decaying leaves and cardboard.

they will actually help break down some of the items in your bin so that your
worms can eat it.

Cockroach

Roaches are disgusting and can infest your house. before you bring a worm
bin into your house make sure you check it for roaches.  An infestation can
be costly and disgusting.  Kill them if you see them and where there is one
there are many.

Centipedes

Kill centipedes where you see them. They will eat your worms and their capsules.
We just smoosh them with our fingers and let the worms eat the dead bodies. It’s
revenge of sorts in the worm world.

Earwigs

Mainly eat rotting organic matter like leaves.  Some areas may have species
that  may occasionally attack worms but these are very rare.

Soldier Fly Larvae

The Soldier fly is common everywhere. They look like wasps
but they are harmless.  They will deposit eggs in your worm bin or bed and
the larvae will eat the organic food in the bin.  If there are too many the
only threat to your worms is that they will eat the food.  Soldier fly
larvae are great composting larvae in their own right and eat things that red
worms normally will not like fresh chicken manure.  If you find an
abundance of soldier fly larvae you may want to transfer them to a secondary bin
and experiment with composting with them. They do turn into soldier flies though
so you may not want to bring you bin indoors.

Springtails

Are a common find in worm bins.  You will be able to
tell if you have Springtails present because they will jump around your worm bin
when you touch the bedding.  They are small and white and jump or spring
around the bin.  They will not harm your worms but a large amount could
indicate an issue with pH.  Check your pH often and see our article on
understanding the pH of worm bins.

Mites

White Worms

White worms are small segmented worms that many people often
confuse with baby worms.  They are harmless in your worm bin and will help
compost along with your red worms.  White worms are also highly sought
after by fish enthusiasts who use the worms to feed newly hatched fish.

Grindal Worms

Grindal worms are small white colored worms that eat grains in the worm
bed.  They will help break some of those grains down before the grains have
a chance to ferment and sour your bedding by making it anaerobic.  Grindal
worms are also a great food source for fish fry. Baby fish love Grindal Worms.

Planarians

Ants

Are a pest. In some areas they can be a danger to your worms. If you have
fire ants or other predatory ants in your area you may want to keep your bed
away from them.  In many areas small amount of ants are harmless.