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Post by jimmy2s83 on Apr 7, 2006 19:49:26 GMT -5
Well I woke up and looked outside this morning only to find that the rainy night had driven out thousands of worms from the ground. They were everywhere. Big, small. Well I couldn't spend the time to gather them for my bin due t work so I remembered that I have family in town for the day. Including my 12 year old brother and my 11 year old cousin. Offered them a couple bucks to gather up as many as they could and they were more than willing. Later my aunt even went out there when they told her they were finding some (and I quote) "Humungo" worms. I guess that means really big. Any way I wouldn't be surprised if those little guys managed to gather a pound or more. Especially when there were about a dozen or more of the large night-crawlers in the mix. I checked the bin when I took lunch and there were a lot more worms in there. I will have to make up some more bedding and watch the increase in eating and make necessary changes to account for them. Another rainy night is looming with a nice day to follow so perhaps I can take the time to gather them up myself this time. But hey $2 for a pound of worms ain't too bad.
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Post by Jay Blair on Apr 12, 2006 15:49:27 GMT -5
Sounds excellent. You are learning how to effectively grow you farm with reduced overhead and no need of potentially unscrupelous commercial suppliers.
As the wild harvest worms are a mix, it may be wise to separate like species to dedicated bins and work on identification as you go along.
By doing this , you will be growing your selection as you grow your herd.
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mo
New Member
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Post by mo on Apr 14, 2006 20:56:46 GMT -5
Can you suggest an easy way to identify the various species of "wild harvest" worms so I might separate them into bins as you suggest? I thought I had all "red wigglers", but am beginning to wonder since the tiny worms are white, not pinkish, as I keep reading they "should" be.
Thanks!
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Post by jimmy2s83 on Apr 15, 2006 13:04:59 GMT -5
I was able to gather yet another huge load of worms this morning. This time on my own but the bin is definately much more packed. I made up some more bedding to help accomadate them. I even grabbed some rabbit feed, crushed it and set it in there. It was almost completely gone after 24 hours! I have thought about dividing the species up. The 2 I can surely see the differances in is the Night Crawlers and the more common red worms. The may be others but I will need to look up some resources for that. Any good books you can recommend or online sites?
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Post by Jay Blair on Apr 16, 2006 13:46:22 GMT -5
Jimmy,
Your first step should be separating a few from your mixed bin into isolated bins based on physical appearance.
Mark them with names you find convienent and let them propagate to ensure a reproduction consistancy.
After you have established a consistancy specific to the bin without importing any new stock, then you can begin doing research in books and online to compare visual image and environmental preferences and requirements to better analyze the species.
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mo
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Post by mo on Apr 21, 2006 16:31:21 GMT -5
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Post by tt on Apr 25, 2006 22:11:42 GMT -5
I went and looked to me they look like a tape worm or pin worm type worm not an earth worm. But there is supposed to be a white worm - earth worm very rare so if it is a earth worm yu may have something . But to me it lookes like something else other then an earth worm hard to tell with the pictures.
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mo
New Member
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Post by mo on May 2, 2006 19:48:13 GMT -5
Thanks tt for taking a look. I've looked at them through a magnifying glass. They appear to be segmented, I can see the digestive tract through the transparent skin, they have pointed anterior ends, an opaque clitellum-like structure. They definitely aren't flat tapeworms, as I've seen them and they are quite different. I don't see any larger white worms, only red worms, so I assume that's as big as the white ones get. (unless they change colors (white to red) mysteriously!)
Now you've got me curious about the "rare" white worms! Any idea how I might hunt out more info.?
Mo
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Post by 4wigglers on May 2, 2006 21:05:42 GMT -5
Just a thought: are these mystery worms possibly pin worms that are
ingested and deposited in feces by cats? They may be the same ones that humans, mostly children have ingested.
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Post by tt on May 4, 2006 8:38:12 GMT -5
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mo
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Post by mo on May 23, 2006 22:08:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the link tt. My worms are very small though, maybe 1/2 inch long. I wrote and sent pictures to George Pilkington, worm book author, and he wrote back "I firmly believe that they are potworms"(Enchytraeidae).
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