The most common composting worms in the United States are the red wiggler worms, commonly known as the red worm. They are easy to maintain at home in a specially designed composting bin, where they graze on domestic trash such as fruit and vegetable scraps. They transform it into nutrient-rich compost for plant and vegetable sustenance in the garden. You can also involve children in the caring of the worms for a hands-on science project they will love.
Where to keep red wigglers?
Red wigglers should be kept in a worm box or compost bin. Purchase one online or construct one from a wooden box or an old garbage can at home. Make a cozy bed for the worms from shredded leaves, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, straw, and dried grass cuttings. Ensure that their bedding is moist and allows lots of fresh air to circulate. Keep the worms away from extreme hot or cold conditions.
What to feed red wigglers
Food waste such as fruit and vegetable peels, egg shells, grapefruit and orange peels, tea bags, and coffee grounds can be fed to red wigglers. Give them no meat or dairy products. Worms like decaying organic material. Thus they will consume older food first and leave younger food to decompose for a while. Every day, red wigglers consume twice their body weight in food. Worm castings are the waste products they produce.
Watch and observe
To keep the worms comfortable, monitor the temperature and moisture levels in the worm bin. Keep track of their favorite meals; several worms might be detected on a single food source. Look for cocoons and newborn worms, as well as worms mating. Try not to bother them too much; remember that they dislike strong light. Use a lamp with a red filter to reduce noise and allow you to observe them.
Some fun facts
When it comes to composting, red wigglers, also known scientifically as Eisenia foetida, are the favored form of a worm. Aside from that, they can survive for two to five years, which is why gardeners prefer them over other earthworm species.
Red wigglers don’t have eyes, yet they don’t like strong light and will bury themselves in their beds if exposed to it, so they must have some other form of sensor. They’ve got mouths, but they have no teeth. Muscles, on the other hand, digest food in their gizzards. If a red worm is mistakenly split in half, it might grow a new tail, but the tail end would not grow a new head. Red wigglers have a lifespan of up to four years.