I guess you can't call yourself a worm farmer if you haven't experienced a mite bloom - so I'm a worm farmer!

I just completed my first cycle of vermiculture and most is well(*). About half way through I did notice a huge congregation of mites on the inside of my bin walls and lid(**). A bit of reading here on this forum suggested I had made the rookie mistake - too moist. I removed the rubbermaid lid for a few days to dry things out and eventually substititued a black plastic "tarp" (part of a garbage bag) that rests on the bedding with a centimeter or two of clearance on all sides for airflow. I don't have drainage holes in the bottom of my bin but I watch it carefully and I've never had standing leachate.

Much improved now, but not solved. I still seem to get occasional mini-blooms of mites. I'm not concerned with that. I know that a vermiculture bin is a little eco-system. But it is odd that they seem to come in cycles. One day there is not a mite in sight, the next day there are quite a few crawling on the 'tarp' and walls. Then a day or two later all is quiet again. And not much has happened during that time (no feeding, mixing, etc). Strange.

But that's not my real concern - those mites don't want to stay put! Once I discovered the initial bloom, I took to storing my bin in the bathtub (***). I have lots of little brown mites (about 1mm, say 1/20", look like mini-bb's) but they know to stay put. The little white ones (very small, about 0.5mm, like walking dust specks) like to travel. The original lid didn't help too much, since I have a few air holes on the side. I've even found a few wandering the bottom and sides of my bathtub. I've occasionally put a bit of water in the tub to make a 'moat'. Part of me is scared of waking up one night and finding myself surrounded by mites - my own Gulliver in Lilliput adventure ;-).

Does the fact that I still have a few mites out and about indicate that I still have too much moisture. During the initial bloom, I did a squeeze test of bedding from the bottom. It was a bit too much (but not excessive) so I added more dry bedding. If I tried to get it any dryer on top then maybe it would be too dry down below. I don't have a lot of bedding; my bin is only about 1/2 full now. Maybe I need more mass (additional bedding) so that it can be drier on top and still be moist down below.

Any other comments or suggestions. Thanks...


....Mike, Ottawa, Canada

(*) After 2.5 months, I just harvest about 3kg/7L (say, about 8lbs/1.5gal) of nice, slightly damp, friable black gold,

(**) A 38L (10gal) Rubbermaid tub

(***) I live in an apartment. Now that spring/summer is here, I may leave them out on the balcony for a while.