Whether or not you keep a lid over the bin makes a difference in how much moisture is evaporated, and how much is needed to add. The time of year and temp and humidity obviously will make a difference. I found my worms really, I mean really, liked cantalope during the melon season. I'd find stores that had trimmed the rinds rinds etc off and would give that to the worms and in a day or two there would be nothing but the fiberous outside, and my worms would be gathered there. Coffee grounds are something they enjoy, and are also good for the soil without the worms, but with that worm kick... They also seem to like to hang out in egg shells. Give them a bit of grit so they can grind the food up, as that's what they use to help digest the food. If you have outside bins in phoenix you will probably need to mist them occasionally. I did. Not soak, just a misting. As mentioned above, with a lid partially covering they moisture may condense on the container and last longer. There was a guy out in cave creek that sold the red wrigglers. Not sure if he's still there. He would go to some of the farmers markets in northeast phoenix. From what I've read the material said the microbes like the castings themselves as 'housing'. Says the casting are porous and the microbes 'move in' and take up residence there and start breaking down the soil as useful products for the plants to use. Red Wrigglers like to hang out at compost areas, where as the night crawlers alot of bait shops sell are more deep soil worms. They don't so much stay around in the shallows and process compost material like red wrigglers. They probably won't stay where you put them as they'll be going deep and moving around. Nightcrawlers are better for aerating your soil then red wrigglers though, so they both have their place in the garden and compost pile. The red wrigglers will stay to the outside of the compost, or more like where the compost isn't as hot while it's 'digesting'. You will want to compost hot fertilizers a bit before putting them with the worms, as the environment may get a bit hot, especially in the phoenix area, as the material breaks down, then the stuff that's on the edges of the pile, or under that is already 'cooled off' will be where the worms will frequent. Red wrigglers will mostly stay where the composting material is though. That's what they thrive on. I saw an article, can't verify this yet though, but someone had a cardboard box that had been soaked with soy oil that sat on the ground for a couple weeks, and said when they lifted it there were a colony of worms under it. As though the soy oil was what they were after. May be wrong, but I intend to experiment with this. The soy, being a legume, with add nitrogen fixing nodules to the ground, and the beans will give oil if 'processed', as well as the meal feed critters, so it's gotta be a win win situation. Enjoy

HI! I did not get mine yet, I found a source in tucson, and have been meaning to get there, as I want to see their operation. They are called Acme worm farm. The price was 25 dollars for a pound I think??? I was hoping to find somewhere that sold them in smaller quantities before I plunked down the cash. They are the same, but like others have posted I have not had any luck in bait shops, they only have the ones that go in the fridge. I am going to call Kathy as well- thanks so much for posting her number! Lisa

steamyb: Now I know that knowledge has been burning a hole in your pocket since the 24th. Good on you for lasting this long. But you know he will say it worked for only 90 days, say it failed, and not see it as basic normal periodic maintenance when one is creating red worm nirvana. The pods are a great and much needed idea for handling waste. I hope they succeed. Us all's hobby is proper use of waste for good, too. So I applaud hg's efforts in the field. hg seems to of been given a system designed by an expert to make work that nobody could of made work. It takes good ideas and experimenting before the system was put in place. Where is the system designer now? If I was the designer I would want to know all about this issue. Working against nature will not work as we know or keep learning again and again. These pods are such a good idea I would like to see some of our experienced worm growers go into the field to see the situation because I know they can help. If hg spent a few hours searching the archives it should / would bring a few options to hg's table. If the pods are a commercial venture then the designer should of come across this in prototype. And hired you and our many other great posters as experienced consultants because your information is worth it. I can see helping a person starting up their first bin. We do want to promote the hobby and the use of worms for composting operations of all kinds. ummmm. I think stopping the airflow is exactly what should be done. It may not have the I need to kill them all right now factor our poster is looking for. It should work fine.

As a cottage industry, selling worms might give you a little spending money. It's all in your approach. Down here we have alot of people who set up produce stands out of the back of a pickup truck selling stuff in season. Each Saturday I see a woman selling tamales of all things on the same corner near my home. She has a simple sign that says tamales, no price no details. I've never stopped but I've seen people buying from her. She has a couple coolers sitting in her trunk. She obviously has a following and a good product that she can sell for a profit as she has been doing it for at least a couple years. I would never try to sell worms out of my home. You do not need that kind of disruption to your life. The way to sell is price them right offering a good number for a little less than the local bait shops. Have the worms pre-counted into little cups that you keep in a cooler. Make a couple signs saying fishing worms and scout out a couple locations where the fishermen pass. Sit out there in a lawn chair and a thermos of coffee and read the paper for a few hours each Saturday morning. See what happens.