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Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/24 20:34Is there such a thing? As my EF wormie herd has increased in my WF, the potworms have begun, in the last couple of weeks, to congregate in the corners from the bedding most of the way up to the edge of the working trays. These are pencil-thick masses 1 to 2" long...not in every corner, but in most. They are still all through the bedding too, and I always see individuals along the tray sides above the bedding. I know they're all sharing, and my EF are crankin', but is there a point where I oughta start worrying?Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing. Gary Hopkinsville, KY
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redhen
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 684
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/24 21:49Gary..Pot worms like acidic conditions. That condition can happen when the bin gets too wet. I don't think the pot worms themselves would hurt your worms..but those conditions, making them thrive, might be detrimental to your worm population. (I feed pot worms to my tropical fish and they just about jump out of the aquarium to get them). I would maybe try to add some dry shredded paper and dry things up a bit.Susan Quinby-Honer redhen@nc.rr.com Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth.
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gnosnhoj
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 544
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/24 23:22Thanx, Susan (maybe I oughta just add that to my sig... ) However, my handy-dandy little pH/moisture meter says I'm hovering right around 7 + a bit, and wet = 65 to 70%. And, just like when you take a vehicle into the wrench-turners, the issue disappears - all the corner clusters are no longer there . There are still a few loners along the tray sides. Maybe they just had a turf-war then patched things up...dunno .Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing. Gary Hopkinsville, KY
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bcomplex
User A Fertile Cocoon
Posts: 7
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/27 21:08I thought I had too many potworms, too, so here I is a-studying on them for two hours. They're neat under the 20x scope, and some scientists in Finland think they're good and transporting random beneficial fungi from place to place. Just added new bedding a week ago, so I'm about to conclude that these enchytraeids know what they're doing. They's just small, that's all.
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redhen
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 684
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/27 22:02so I'm about to conclude that these enchytraeids know what they're doing. They's just small, that's all bcomplex...Great observation! Thank you for sharing.Susan Quinby-Honer redhen@nc.rr.com Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth.
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gnosnhoj
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 544
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/27 23:23(I feed pot worms to my tropical fish and they just about jump out of the aquarium to get them) Susan - you don't harvest the potworms out of your bins, do you? That'd be some seriously dedicated screening ! I didn't think they were harmful at all, and what I've read tells me they are fairly ubiquitous wherever our li'l fellas call home.
...these enchytraeids know what they're doing. They's just small, that's all. Thanks, bcomplex - you got me googling for articles too . Reckon I've been raising them as long as I've been composting...just didn't know it . I was hoping not to have to try and reduce them...there's plenty of wormie-chow for everybody .Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing. Gary Hopkinsville, KY
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redhen
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 684
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/27 23:53 you don't harvest the potworms out of your bins, do you? That'd be some seriously dedicated screening That's a funny idea No, I do not screen them. I just scoop some out and swish in my aquariums. The fish really love the live food.Susan Quinby-Honer redhen@nc.rr.com Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth.
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Bob Ingram
Visitor A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 156
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/28 19:06There's folks making a living selling the darn things for fish food....It's all good! Seeya, Bobwww.trinity-ranch.com
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gnosnhoj
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 544
Re:Too many potworms...? - 2006/03/29 21:45...and there we have it: one more incentive to set up my aquarium again. It is still in a crate from my last Uncle Sugar-sponsored move. Now if I can just talk HH6 into rearranging the front room a bit... .Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing. Gary Hopkinsville, KY
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