worm farm

[HTMember]

Morning all

I have a worm farm,well its actually a plastic box with holes in the base to allow for drainage.There seems to be quite alot of wee little fly’s flying around all the time.What are they? fruit fly’s? and how do I make them go away? any ideas would be muchly appreciated.

HT

[barefoot_mistyMember]

What are you feeding the worms? Also do you have hessian or something similar covering the top before the lid?

[HummerKeymaster]

I think they might be what are called vinegar flies.. and I believe they are relatively a normal occurrence in worm farms

[FozzieMember]

A vague memory of my instructions was that vinegar flies mean that the worms are getting too much to eat. But yeah, there’s so many critters in mine it’s not funny! God knows how slugs and slaters got into there! it’s off the ground with those little leg things.

My worms have been busy “feasting” on the pumpkins and spaghetti squash that didn’t last! 🙂

[bluesnipMember]

I think the term ‘vinegar’ fly hints at the solution – too acid, so add some lime. A small sprinkling and I just wet it in with a splash of water.

In fact, every issue I’ve had with my worm farm has been solved with a splash of lime, so now I just do it monthly regardless!! If you feed them eggshells it helps too, but mine usually end up being eaten by the dog, the chooks or being used as snail repellants, so my worms don’t see the benefits of egg shell, and I have to sprinkle lime.

[AndreKeymaster]

Yep.. agree with all the others 🙂

just wanted to say, we call our worms Trevor. All of them.

Decided it is very own ‘collective noun’ .. a trevor of worms. :whistle:

[BlueWrenMember]

How do you feed egg shells to Trevor? Whole? Roughly crushed? Crushed finely? Do I just ask for “lime” at the garden shop? Thanks.

[mrsrashMember]

You can usually buy lime ate the gardening centre as some plants need it more than others. So I wold try there first. :tup:

[HTMember]

Hey Blue Wren

they were my questions,stop hogging the lime light :woohoo: :woohoo:

HT

[WilcoMember]

You’re right about the lime and flies – it works.

Earthworms actually have a high requirement for lime, that is, for the calcium component – for several reasons.

1) Calcium is involved in their digestion

2) Calcium is required in their muscular action; Ca ions zip back and forth in cells to create the movemement that allows them to slither and slide

3) Calcium is required for their slime production

So a periodic light sprinkling of lime in the heap is called for, not too much though.

As organic matter decomposes, acids and tannins result, which lowers the pH, making it too acid for a worms likeing; it could even be ‘burning’ their skin.

A worm should be slimy, glisten, and be very active in the sun, as it tries to get away from the light. If they’re ‘dry’ and lethargic, somethings wrong, and lime is a good start to get them on their way. They’re also air breathing, so avoid too fine or compacted feed stuff, and will like a good mixture of dry and green material, about a 2 to 1 ratio. Worms actually thrive mostly on the protozoa that in turn eat on the decomposing organic matter they eat.

Wilco

[karyn26Member]

Fozzie I ask myself the same questions about slaters and slugs too.

My worm farms are in fridges with the lid ajar plus the daddy long legs have made themselves at home in there too????

Glad I’m not scared of them or the wormies would starve.

Thouh I have noticed what look like maggots?? not too sure as I’m looking at them without my glasses on,They are under the cloth covering the food area so I just take it out and shake them off no more in there.

[SonyaMember]

I’d clean out the existing food and replace it with a smaller amount of new food. I don’t add lime to my garden – soil here have too much magnesium so adding more can become a problem.

I’ve attached a photo of a fruit fly too – a lot of people confuse those small flies you find around putrescible waste (in compost or worm farms) with fruit flies.

Cheers,

Sonya

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