worms in sump

[greenfingerswannabe]

Morning Willy

First rain last night since that downpour last week. Just 6 escapees, 2 of which found shelter beneath the dustbin adjacent to the wormery and 4 beneath a bag of potting compost on the other side. Interestingly, just 1 in the lid. The 2 beneath the dustbin, if they'd have travelled just another 18 inches across a path, would have found their Switzerland and permanent freedom in my raspberry bed. I have to assume that no others made that journey and succeeded.

More importantly, my shelter has achieved it's objective - no water in the sump at all and relief from the sun on hot days.

Alan

[WillyWorm]

Hi Alan, glad your shelter is working well. Are you not counting your worms every night before bed??? You are missing out on one of the advantages of being a worm keeper "no more insomnia".
You will soon need to think of releasing worms from the bin. Our bins will hold 2000 to 3000 worms after that breeding will slow down. It's a sad day the first time you send your loved ones out into the big wide world alone for the fist time, in order to make room for the next generation, grown men have been known to cry.

Have fun
Willy

[greenfingerswannabe]

Hi Willy

Funny you should mention about counting my worms. As Thursday will be a fortnight and time to feed, I had a bit of a rummage amongst the coir this afternoon and struggled to find many. There were a good number behind my weed fabric (remember I put it 3" up the sides and haven't reduced it yet) and in the sump but not anywhere else. Those I found in the coir seemed to be very slow and I think I discovered some dead, possibly just not moving, but it has been particularly cold today, so wondered if they are a little lethargic. 

Puzzled and concerned!!

Alan

[WillyWorm]

Alan are you saying most of your worms have disappeared? It should not be too cold for worms at this time of year so the weather should not be a factor. It is rear to see a dead worm! they are 90% water and the small amount of solid material is soon cleared up but the microbes and bacteria we have developed in our bin. After two weeks your herd should be settled and busy making babies.
I am traveling a lot this week but will try to get back to you. Please check your bin again, does your bin smell nice and earthy etc

[greenfingerswannabe]

Willy

I think I may have been a little bit prematurely apprehensive. As the weed fabric failed miserably in my attempt to prevent settling in escapees, I decided to remove it today, so effectively, I started again by removing everything and although I found fairly large areas of emptiness, I also found areas of abundance (clumping together). I suppose they're initially finding places that appeal more and stick together. There was ample evidence of casting deposits and I reinstated everything by mixing the initial damp newspaper shreddings with the supplied bedding. My first impression of dead worms was also faulty, as when moving individuals today that seemed lifeless, after a few seconds they slowly started to move. I fed them just a handful of green waste and will inspect in a couple of days. And yes, no bad smells, so I think (hope) everything is going to plan.

Thanks for your interest.

Alan

[WillyWorm]

Hi Alan thanks for the update. You will often find areas of the bin more densely occupied than others. We put food in the bin but it can take a while for it to breakdown and become available to the worms rather than wait the worms move to another area where the food is "cooked" and ready to eat.

Keep up the good work
Willy

[greenfingerswannabe]

Morning Willy

Thanks for your response.

Not sure if this is the correct forum , and although I am a long way from using leachate or castings I have been reading that the leachate, or when making compost tea, needs to be airated vigorously and many seem to do this over 24 hours using a fish tank aerator. As you have been worming for a while now, what is your opinion or experience on this?

Alan

[WillyWorm]

Hi Alan, I will open a new thread later and address your issue there. Great topic by the way.