Worm bin full of bug

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

I have 2 live worm bins going and have no bugs other then gnats here n there but indoor that does not sound to good i mean out door is one thing indoor we add soils leafs coffee grinds Carbons etc
what ever to make a soil naturally with only worms and i guess time to make a rich soil
so yes microbes ,, worms is what i would prefer indoor i would be very concerned with mites , bugs and so on specially some place where you actually live n sleep and eat etc

Soil mites are a very different animal in comparison to parasitic mites. I've been in the same shoes as you being unsure and uneasy with any type of mite. The truth is, if it's (the mite) focusing on decaying organic matter then it's a safe soil mite and not harmful in the slightest to plants. Identification is key and it can be very exhausting when one realizes there is thousands of mite species.
I have welcomed the introduction of mites and various insects to my farms. They are part of the microbial loop, just in macro form. Worms feed on anything in the soil, even their own shit.
Any excrement from a macro, eaten and digested by another macro, leaves a thourally digested and composted casting with high nutritional value.... depending on input source.
I would question any casting that was produced without a complete composting ecosystem in place.

 

[Kind Sir]

Someone should make a thread strictly on vermicomposting and get it to be a sticky.
Lots of credible worm farmers on here...

I thought there was a sticky for worm bins, but I guess not. Id very much like to see a thread for worm bins!

So the two species of bugs I have are fine?

 

[Richard Drysift]

Someone should make a thread strictly on vermicomposting and get it to be a sticky.
Lots of credible worm farmers on here...

There is like 100 threads on it already but I second that.. we need a dedicated worm farmer sticky. I never got leacheate either until I started giving them a lot of rotten apples....whole just frozen & crushed up with a shovel so it's possible much of it was apple FPE

 

[2ANONYMOUS]

Again one thing of doing it indoor an another making a man made carbon cycle system /
Cause really composting is man made product and not a natural compared to nature where a animal dies of old age drops and decomposes etc right
But again inreality what does the most or the work we are really after ???? that would be the worm shit which is plant food ,, miro life which are the first on a crime scene lol or decomposition processs ..
The insects are only there to really speed up the decomposition or break down of green matter to me indoor i rather not worry about it insect end make sure my other life which is more crucial and more important then having all types of insects scour my grow room and house out door have at her there are predatory animals to control mites birds and other insects ,,
Might as well say order 10 pounds of lady bugs etc for me i want a steady carbon cycle not to fast not to slow

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

I thought there was a sticky for worm bins, but I guess not. Id very much like to see a thread for worm bins!

So the two species of bugs I have are fine?

I wouldn't worry about it. Any decomposer is beneficial to the cycle.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

There is like 100 threads on it already but I second that.. we need a dedicated worm farmer sticky. I never got leacheate either until I started giving them a lot of rotten apples....whole just frozen & crushed up with a shovel so it's possible much of it was apple FPE

Shit, even better!!! Apples are very high in natural sugars and consequently high brix. Those casting that are of apple origin are very good and high in bacterial count.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

Again one thing of doing it indoor an another making a man made carbon cycle system /
Cause really composting is man made product and not a natural compared to nature where a animal dies of old age drops and decomposes etc right
But again inreality what does the most or the work we are really after ???? that would be the worm shit which is plant food ,, miro life which are the first on a crime scene lol or decomposition processs ..
The insects are only there to really speed up the decomposition or break down of green matter to me indoor i rather not worry about it insect end make sure my other life which is more crucial and more important then having all types of insects scour my grow room and house out door have at her there are predatory animals to control mites birds and other insects ,,
Might as well say order 10 pounds of lady bugs etc for me i want a steady carbon cycle not to fast not to slow

Damn it...., I like you. Your definitely on point.
The insect macros are only an aid in decomposition of orgainics. Not to take away the focus on micros, but in my experience the two go hand in hand.
But in think a focus on specific specie varieties is necessary when it comes to macros in vermi farming.

 

[2ANONYMOUS]

Damn it...., I like you. Your definitely on point.
The insect macros are only an aid in decomposition of orgainics. Not to take away the focus on micros, but in my experience the two go hand in hand.
But in think a focus on specific specie varieties is necessary when it comes to macros in vermi farming.

Truth is people over think it all the fucking time hence why so many organic soils recipe can not complete a simple grow that is 100 percent truth
Bugs stay clear out of my worm bin last thing i would want is insects speeding up if thats the Case no need to cover worm bin dedicate 1000 watt light to speed up decomposition, process
i know my bins are happy i lift up my lid and an see worms scurry to disapear a perfect ratio greens , browns makes it all happen ..
Slow n steady always wins the race one part going to fast is like a engine in a car will create some sort of issue .
the problem were to much in a hurry to let mother nature do here thing full cycle where now we can recharge our soil properly now i am not here to change your styles but i will continue to do it like my parents have taught me our for fathers taught us importane of crop rotation and what is in today's Agriculture practice
With that said slow n easy wins the race lose them bugs specially if growing indoors
we cannot compare out door and indoor composting many variables temps , weather and pressure differences

 

[Kind Sir]

I didnt have too many, but I see some pictures online and would have a dam anxiety attack and fall in the bin. Just kidding but they make me very anxious and I dont hav3 neem/oil only Diametcious earth, crab shell, spinosad just to include. I already added some but, is there any time frame on when to harvest or a certain look to it? I want to start over possibly after harvest, idk if its possible to give the worms a "rinse" and use in fresh bin. I might be overreacting, should I just let things take their course?

Going to check it right now.

 

[2ANONYMOUS]

I always try hard to emphasize that: A) vermicomposting is a process that involves a diverse ecosystem of different organisms – it’s NOT just worms vs your food waste. It is important (in my humble opinion) to develop a certain level of respect for ALL organisms you encounter in your worm bins – which leads me to…B) if you focus more on theconditions that may be creating a favorable environment for certain critters rather than on the critters themselves (assuming they are “bad”, a “problem” etc), you are far more likely to successfully create an optimized vermicomposting system.

For example, if you add a large quantity of starchy materials all at once and you end up with sour/anaerobic conditions and a serious outbreak of pot worms, removing heaps and heaps of the pot worms isn’t going to solve your problem.

In the case of mites, they tend to thrive in wet (often low air-flow) conditions when lots of food waste is present. This often coincides with acidic conditions, but I’m not sure that it’s the low pH, specifically, that appeals to them (similar to the worms, I think they are pretty tolerant of a wide pH range). Unfortunately, these exact conditions are very common in a typical enclosed, plastic worm bin – especially when being managed by a new vermicomposter.

In my experience, you find FAR fewer mites in open (very well-aerated) vermicomposting systems – as well as systems that receive smaller quantities of well-optimized waste materials. So, you might (yuk, yuk) want to leave the lid off your bin for periods of time each day (assuming you don’t want to keep an entirely open system), reduce the amount of food waste you are adding, and spend more time preparing the wastes for optimal worm feeding (freeze, chop, blend, age, mix with “living materials” etc).

All that being said, if you DO actually want to get rid of mites in the meantime (before you create a more balanced system), you may want to refer to these other posts:

Getting Rid of Worm Bin Mites
Controlling Mites in a Worm Bin

 

[2ANONYMOUS]

Brown or White Mites compete with earthworms for available food, but do not directly prey on earthworms. They feed on decaying or injured earthworms only. However, during infestations they can devour much of the food available in earthworm beds, depriving earthworms of needed nutrients in the process. This increases costs and time spent feeding worms. High levels of mite populations also cause earthworms to stay deep in the bedding and not come to the surface to feed, which results in poor growth and reproduction.

Red Mites

The Red Mite is smaller than Brown or White Mites. Red Mites first appear as white or grey clusters, resembling mold. What appears to be mold, is really clusters of juvenile Red Mites in various stages of development. Red mites are parasites of earthworms. They attach themselves to the earthworm and suck blood or body fluid, resulting in death of the worm. They are also capable of piercing and sucking fluids from egg capsules.

Conditions Leading to Mite Infestations

Since mites are a common inhabitant of earthworm beds and vermicomposting bins, you need not do anything unless there is an infestation. Dramatic increases in mite populations are almost always caused by one of the following:

Too Much Water

Bedding that is too wet creates conditions that are more favorable to mites than to earthworms. Avoid excessively wet beds by improving drainage, and turning bedding frequently.

Overfeeding

Too much food can cause buildup of fermented feed and heat up worm beds plus lower the pH of the beds. Slow down feeding schedules, or lessen amounts fed, so that all feed is consumed within a few days. Modify feeding schedules as temperatures change because earthworms consume less food in colder temperatures. Maintain beds around a neutral pH of 7.

Excessively Wet or Fleshy Feed

Vegetables with a high moisture content or pulp from juicing and blending, can cause high mite populations in earthworm beds. Limit the use of such feed if high mite populations are discovered. Discontinue until mite populations are under control.

Ways to Reduce Mite Populations

The most effective methods of cutting mite populations include the following:

Exposure To Sunlight

Uncover the worm beds and expose them to sunlight for several hours to allow bedding to dry a bit. Reduce the amount of water and feed.

Place Newspaper on Top of Bins



Place moistened newspaper on top of bedding, and remove the paper as mites accumulate on them. Repeat until mite populations are reduced to acceptable levels.

Place Pieces of Cantalope on Top of Bedding



Place pieces of watermelon or cantaloupe rind or potato slices on top of the worm beds. Mites are attracted to the sweetness of the rinds or peels and will accumulate on them. The rinds or peels can then be removed and dropped in water or buried.

Water, Do Not Flood, Beds



Heavily water, but do not flood, the worm beds. Mites will move to the surface, and worms will stay below the surface. Use a hand-held propane torch to scorch the top of the bed and kill the mites. This procedure may be repeated several times, at three day intervals, if needed.