Hi Rachel
Sorry for the delay in replying ....
is it one of our wormeries or a different make ?
You mention that your wormery 1st layer is full - I would hold off putting anymore food in there until some of it has been eaten.
The worms would have been eating the food, but it does take time for it all to start properly, and if the food is sitting there uneaten, it will start to smell.
The easiest way to see if a worm is dead - is to put them on the surface in the daylight, if they are still there after 20 mins then - they are dead, if they have burrowed downwards out of the light they are fine....
I am presuming you have a covering of newspaper over the food, if not make sure that there is some, as this will keep the worms happy.
If some worms are dead, then don't worry too much at this point, they naturally die for a number of reasons, stress from the journey, heat, cold, old age.
If the worms in the sump are happy and healthy, then its probably not the conditions in the wormery that has caused it.
Sorry not to be able to give an exact answer at this point, except to say its unlikely for them to be dying through something you have done at this point - so don't worry too much
Regards
Ronnie
Are my worms dead?
Re: Are my worms dead?
Add it to the next layer ....
to encorage the worms upwards add some of the black compost from the lower tray into the new upper one, this will give them something to live in that is familer to go to.
make sure you always cover the food on the top, doesn't matter if its shredded or not - as long as its there !
Ronnie
to encorage the worms upwards add some of the black compost from the lower tray into the new upper one, this will give them something to live in that is familer to go to.
make sure you always cover the food on the top, doesn't matter if its shredded or not - as long as its there !
Ronnie