Potworms are usually a sign that the bin is too wet. The fact that your pet sitter overfed your worms is a sure sign that your bins are too wet. You're on the right track by adding dry shredded newspaper on top. This along with no feeding for 2 - 3 weeks should solve your problem. The potworms themselves are harmless to your redworms, you just don't want too many of them. mataka4

Hooray... I'd like to start with how you assembled your bin. IMHO, the best investment you can ever make is in a decent paper shredder. Instead of layering your bin with paper bags, you could be using shredded paper bags, or better yet, shredded cardboard. My first (5-sheet) shredder finally bit the dust after more than two years of intensive work shredding cardboard. My new (12-sheet) is making short work of stuff that the last one struggled over. What I do with eggshells is this: After saving them up for a month or so, I put them into a large aluminum foil pan in the bottom of the oven (after whatever was in there comes out and the oven is still hot). This dries them out really well. Next, I powder them in a blender and then the powder goes into a shaker can. The worms get a liberal dose of this 'grit' whenever I feed. The powder seems to disappear, almost overnight. Shaul

Hi Novice60! The Nightcrawler( Canadian Nightcrawler/North Americam Nightcrawler/Dew Worm/Lumbricus terrestris) first is not a composting type of worm. That does not mean that they will not survive in decomposing material such as leaves from desidious non aeromatic (maple/oak) type of leaves that have already gone through the heat stage of decomposition. If you are really interested in keeping the night crawlers here are some things you can try. Get a bin (container) not more than 8 inches deep. 10 Gallon rough neck Rubber Maid (tm) from LOWEs $4.97 Get some good crawler bedding such as Buss-Bedding (tm) Wal-Mart has it in the sporting section. Follow instructions to dampen. 3.Get some Magic Worm Food (tm) Walmart sports section. Prepair the bin by drilling 1/4 inch holes 1-1/2 inches down from the top edge of the bin about 1 inch apart. This is the ventalation holes. Prepair the bedding and put in the bin about 1 inch below the vent holes. Bedding will be about 5-6 inches deep. Put the nightcrawlers in and let them go down into the bedding (use a light if needed). Keep the bin in a cool place 60 deg F. If you can not find a cool spot use the frig but only for fishing worms. this setup will keep about 300-350 night crawlers for a long time. When the Buss Bedding gets dark in color renew it and set the old bedding and bin aside. Set up a new bin for the breeders and put them into it. When all the cocoons have hached and the little crawlers are still growing they can be in the old bedding.Let them grow until they are grown to juviniles 2-4inches. Then change the bedding for new and use the old as any other vermicast would be used. larry

1000 is a common guestimate. even if it was off it should not matter for most ... do 1000 worms consume more material than 950? in theory maybe they do but unless you are talking about a really tightly monitored system how would you know?