Posts Tagged ‘composting worm’

We get asked this question over and over. What is the difference between worms found in the yard and garden and worms used for composting?

Believe it or not, all worms are not created equal. There are three main types of worms, each one has different characteristics that make them unique. These unique traits are why some worms take to bins better than others. You can’t just go out in your yard, dig up some worms, and expect them to go to work for you in your new worm bin. Chances are you may not end up with great composting worms, and you may even find that the worms are escaping from the bin and do not appreciate being spoiled like our little friends the red wigglers. With an understanding of the different types of worms, you will gain a better perspective into the art of vermiculture.

Each one of the 4400 + named species of worms on earth can be broken down into these three main categories:

Anecic (Greek for “out of the earth”) – these are burrowing worms that come to the surface at night to drag food down into their permanent burrows deep within the mineral layers of the soil. The common nightcrawler (also known as Canadian Nightcrawler, Dew Worm & Common Earthworm) is in this category. These worms build vertical permanent burrows that extend over six feet below the earth’s surface. Believe it or not, but these worms can actually recognize their own burrows and return to it day after day. These worms feed on decaying litter and therefore must visit the surface on a regular basis. They are solitary worms and do not like living in high worm populations.

Endogeic (Greek for “within the earth”) – these are also burrowing worms but their burrows are typically more shallow and they feed on the organic matter already in the soil. These worms are the only type of worm that will actually eat soil as well as decaying organic material. These worms rarely come to the earth’s surface and spend most of their time underground in their lateral burrow systems.

Epigeic (Greek for “upon the earth”) – these worms live in the surface litter and feed on decaying organic matter. They do not have permanent burrows. These “decomposers” are the type of worm used in vermicomposting. These are our special little garbage men that work for food. They thrive in large groups and are surface feeders, not burrowers. Red Wigglers & European Nightcrawlers are both categorized in this group of composting worms. Becuase they do not build burrows, they do well in worm bins and appreciate the constant food source and moist environments that we provide for them.

I hope this helps you to gain a little understanding of the workings of earthworms and why purchasing the right kind of worm for your bin is important to your success.

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Question: I am worried about my red wiggler worms multiplying too fast for my bin size. What do I do if it gets over-populated?

Answer: That is not something you need to worry about with worms. Worms will regulate their population to the amount of food and space available.

Question: I was wondering if I could set up a worm bin and have it’s main function to be recycling my paper (junk mail, scrap paper, paper towels, etc). Is this a feasible plan?

Answer: Worms can survive on newspaper and other paper products. However, it would be equivalent to a person living off of bread and water. The paper products do not have much nutritional content for the worms. We have heard of year long worm experiments being done with paper only and the worms surviving. They are small skinny worms, but it can be done though not necessarily recommended. If this is your goal, you should supplement their diet with other “green” organic material or worm food.

Do you have questions about caring for red worms? Send them to us and we will post the answers.

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Red Wigglers:

Red Wigglers (Eisensia fetida) are the most common composting worm.  They measure between 1½ and 2½ inches in length and can eat half of their body weight in food a day. In the compost bin, they are most active at temperatures between 59-77°F (15-25°C).  They may still work their way through a bin at temperatures as low as 50°F. Below freezing temperatures will kill them off, however, their eggs will keep in the compost heap through the winter to revive the population come spring.  Since red wigglers can survive colder temperatures than many of their composting cousins, they make great fish bait.  They can stay alive in the water hours longer than your average earthworm.  They can resist temperatures as low as 35° and as high as 95° F Red Wigglers tend to be very active on the hook and are a great choice when fishing for trout or panfish.

Red wigglers are also known as:  Redworms, Manure Worms, Trout Worms, Tiger Worms, Compost Worms and I am sure you could come up with more to add to the list.  Because of the versatility of these worms they are not only great for composting and fishing but also make great treats for your turtles, birds, and other worm loving pets you may have in your home.  Your pets will thank you for such a tasty treat.

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Although their smaller composting cousins, the Red Wigglers, are a well known composting bin worm, the European Nightcrawlers are a close competitor.  They are great composters, stay put in their bins, and are about the size of a gummy worm.  Perfect for people who love to fish and garden.  They work great in our stacking worm bins and migrate upward just like the Red Wigglers.  They like their soil a little moister than the Red Wigglers and are not quite as prolific.  Red Wigglers and Europeans can also coexit peacfuly in a bin since they have the similiar characteristics.

European Nightcrawlers (Eisenia hortensis) are also known as the Belgian Worm, Super Red, Carolina Crawlers, Giant Redworm, ENC’s and Blue Worms.  European Nightcrawlers grow to be 3-8 inches long, and look like very large, fat red wigglers.  When they are not stretched out, they are as thick as a pencil.   European Nightcrawlers can tolerate temperatures as low as 45° F., however, they are most active between 60° and 70° F. They are also known to be prolific breeders so their numbers can increase rapidly.   The ENC’s are quickly becoming the ideal bait worm.  They are a very tough worm that can be used successfully in salt water.  They have also been used for ice fishing in the most frigid waters of Northwestern British columbia and have been found to be still active on the hook after 30 minutes in the freezing cold water. Nightcrawlers are also used in exotic pet markets as food for birds, fish, koi, turtles and other reptilians.

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