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Red mites in my wormbin
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What are they? will they bother the worms or are they beneficial to the bin? they are small orange colored mites Thank you in advance to anyone with info on these critters
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Yes they are mites. They are usually not a huge problem, just feed your worms a little less and use a little more bedding. Also some powdered limestone will help, but the mites should not cause you any problems.
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ok thanks Matthew!! how about moisture does too much moisture invite them as well?
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Well it does seem to in at least some extent, but I have seen that drying them down does not take care of the problem real quickly. Over time it should make a little difference.
A deeper bed will allow the worms to stay moist and the top to dry out. This should keep the worms happy and at the same time the mites away. In theory anyhow.
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how do you recommend feeding the worms when you add more bedding should I keep the food buried where they are hanging out?
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For the most part I think it is best to add the food on top of the worm beds and then cover it with some bedding material like shredded paper.
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I have white "mites". Not sure if they really are mites or what. They have the body of an aphid and as far as I can tell they have legs like spiders. They have been there for probably a month now. The worms don't seem to be affected. In fact they worms look like they have gotten bigger and healthier. Should I do anything about these little creatures? I notice that they are not a fan of the light either. In the morning when I turn on the light the worms and the bugs scurry under the soil.
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I am not sure if they will bother plants or not. I know some mites will and some won't. The mites will eventually go away if the compost is allowed to sit and dry for a week or so after harvesting.
Diatomaceous earth will generally get rid of the mites.
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The mites in your bin help break down the wastes. They feed on dead matter like the worms and shouldn't adversely affect plants.
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Can I sell the castings with the white nites in them? Or is there a way to rid them from the castings before selling them
Thank you
Gerald
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That was white mites
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In this Discussion
- gkoogler December 2012
- HamiltonOrganics October 2012
- Matthew May 2011
- newwormbin February 2011
- Sheri May 2011