Howdy, anyone willing to share info on how to separate cocoons from castings?

I'm currently screening castings with a 1/8" home-made rotary screen. It does extremely well at separating the worms and larger chunks from the castings, but allows many cocoons to fall through.

Even if my harvester did catch cocoons (3/32" or 1/16" screen), there's still the labor of separating the cocoons from the larger chunks also caught by the screen.

How is this done commercially? I don't have any intention of selling cocoons (way too small for that), but am just curious how it's done.

Thanks, Jase

I have the same question. With my worm factory I place the finished bin on top and then leave the light on over it. Between drying and the light I am able to get the worms to move into the layer below. Then layers are manually removed. Then I wait two to three weeks and start looking for the babies and there are still lots of cocoons. This process is getting tiring, not to mention time consuming.

So I too would like some hints, advice, etc.

imho youwould need to screen twice once with 1/4 " mesh then with 3/16"or an Appropriate metric size

I have read where some folks wait for a period of time for the cocoons to become worms and are easier separated . Some will add some pumpkin pie filling in a strip across the top so as to attract them after a couple of weeks .At that time the last of the worms are harvested and the vermicompost is used , sold , traded or whatever .

I had tried to pick out cocoons also tried to wait until they hatched. All I found is that it is way to labor intensive. The cocoons and small worms go with the casting. whether I use them in my garden or sell them. Just not worth the time it takes to clean them out.


Digger

I am too searching for an easy way to harvest cocoons. My girlfriend tried researching for me and she found a place recommending water seperation... the original poster claimed the cocoons float a reply said they infact sink but you can scoop them up easy when in water.

I'll try this myself in a few months I recently harvested all my bins and started new ones.