gardenfanatic
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A Hatchling Earthworm
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E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/20 21:40
My bin has a mixture of 1 lb of E fetida and 1lb of European Night Crawlers. After doing some reading on this site, I'm wondering if that was the best idea. What I've read says that ENC like it wetter and cooler than the redworms. Any feedback about mixing them?
Deanna
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wellsworms
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/21 07:53
Iwas going to try the same thing in my outdoor bins as they are bottomless I was thinking they would all just adjust to suit them selves.[ they also go topless most of the time
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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Bubbles
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/21 09:48
Yeah, I heard also the nightcrawlers like it wetter. I read in these forums before that they can cohabitate if the bin is big enough, but I don't recall if it was outdoors... Does anyone try using the area above called "search these forums"?
N'That--I wouldn't want my red wiggler bins outdoors if any Red Kites were apt to fly by! Did you read that article? They like worms on top!
Bubbles
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gnosnhoj
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/21 21:08
Bob Ingram, one of our "protected species", has posted some info on this in the "new bin status" topic - says it works great; hoping he'll expound here...
Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY |
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redhen
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/21 21:25
I grow both of these worms. I keep them as separate, (as possible). The reason I do this, is because I sell them and when people buy "Redworms" or "ENC's" they would like to be buying what they asked for.
Deanna..When I have mixed them, I find the EF's out-breed the ENC's. The ENC's are still there but few and far between. (Of course, I must say, they are hard to distinguish when they are babies).
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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gnosnhoj
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/24 01:20
..When I have mixed them, I find the EF's out-breed the ENC's. The ENC's are still there but few and far between.
Susan - trying to clarify here...not always easy with me  ...
'If' you are saying that EF & ENC co-habitate well, but EF repro is much greater than ENC repro...is this detrimental to the ENC population, or perhaps slows it's increase somehow, or just that EF have more babies?
If abundant chow and habitat, wormie and otherwise, is available to all 'regular' bin inhabitants, don't all procreate iaw their natural schedules regardless of who their neighbors are?
Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY |
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wellsworms
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/24 08:42
RED KITES?are you refering to robbins? or something else
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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redhen
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/24 11:06
Gary..All good questions. Reds do reproduce faster than ENC's. As I said in my previous post, it is very difficult, (make that impossible for me), to distinguish worms when they are babies. Also they all stay smaller if the bin is really well populated. I find they all seem perfectly happy to co-exist, and if they are happy, I'm good too!
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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gnosnhoj
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/24 21:05
Well, otay  ! Thanx, Susan.
Have you (or anybody...) actually tried to keep EF and ENC separated in an outside onground bin or like environs? If yes, how, and more importantly, did it work? I was thinking of dividing my bin in half with plywood attached to my center brace, just to see how they do comparatively.
As I've said, I'd expect some mingling; there are always some venturesome souls in any group regardless of specie 
Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY |
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Bob Ingram
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/26 08:02
Oops, Gary, been outta pocket here lately...not by design, just extremely busy. Enc's and E.fetida do just fine together. Truthfully, I feel all worms like it a little wetter than most of us recommend (it seems to me that beginners get into trouble more often by the 'too much' syndrome...too much water, too much food, etc., thereby folks give instruction on the cautious side) There's not enough difference in requirements between the two species to be a major factor. I don't try to keep the species together, but I know folks who have them that way...they tell me the two species compete with one another when mixed..they swear the E.fetida get larger when mixed, and both species really reproduce. If you want worms for composting and your own use, it's a good way to go. Seeya, Bob
www.trinity-ranch.com |
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wellsworms
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/27 17:01
having a problem uploading a file I'll do it tommorow
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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gnosnhoj
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/02/27 21:11
Hey, Bob - no worries, just missed your input...busy is good, mostly, right ?
I don't try to keep the species together
Actually, I'm trying to keep them apart, in a single on-ground bin (pics are in the in-ground bin topic), mostly just to see how they do comparatively. If they do end up totally intregated it won't break my heart - I'll just pull my divider and have a wormie free-for-all !
Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY |
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Bob Ingram
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:E. fetida and ENC together? - 2006/03/02 10:15
Gary, I can practically guarantee they'll be mixed, lol. It's hard to keep em from mixing even in the same building...
www.trinity-ranch.com |
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