Creepy crawlies in my compost bin...

[bethduckie]

Ugh, ugh and ugh!

As I opened the lid of my plastic compost bin yesterday to stick in some brown paper, I noticed shed load of ants and some things that looked a bit like pine nuts... until I noticed they were wriggling...

of course I immedietely squealed like a girl and got the top back on quickly. I assumed they were maggots, but I don't see how that could be because it's the heap at the lottie, it only ever has plant waste in there nothing cooked or anything like that. So something else?

And more importantly how do i get rid of them!!!!!!

*shudder*

Thanks in advance... my compost heap at home has no such issues...

[daisygrubber]

From my limited experience I understand that ants mean the compost is too dry. Unsure about the pine nut type things.

[chris]

Ants do mean it's too dry, as daisygrubber says - the maggot things are probably fly larva, wouldn't know without a picture though.

Me? I'd turn the water and turn the heap a few times

[Florence Fennel]

I'd give it a soaking as Chris has suggested and dig the creepy crawlers in.

[womble]

I wouldn't worry about it, the more life you have in there, the quicker it should do something. A compost bin is a living ecosystem.

[Two_Sheds]

The pine kernels are ant larvae - feed them to the birds, chickens or fish, they love 'em

Keep your compost bins a bit moister

[rustylady]

Compost heaps and bins are meant to contain "wildlife" - that's what helps to break down the waste. Water to keep moist and don't be so worried about bugs and beasties - they're all part of the scheme.

[Fred Perry]

Every thing that live's, poo,s. Turn and add water.
All the best to all,
Fred P.

[chris]

Emptied my daleks the other day - amazed at how much a small dalek can hold of lovely compost

Found some ants near the bottom - let me chickens root around and they picked out all the larva. Now I've too much compost! Started the next batch mind.

[mothhawk]

My compost dalek is definitely not too dry, but I still have ants in there. More fascinating is that after I've given it a good stir round and rootle about with a garden fork, and thoroughly shaken up the ants nest arrangement, the ants patiently collect all the scattered eggs and larvae back to a central point and carry on as if nothing has happened.

[womble]

Now I've too much compost!

Impossible!

My compost dalek is definitely not too dry, but I still have ants in there. More fascinating is that after I've given it a good stir round and rootle about with a garden fork, and thoroughly shaken up the ants nest arrangement, the ants patiently collect all the scattered eggs and larvae back to a central point and carry on as if nothing has happened.

Yep. my experiences are the same, wet compost heap, but ants.

[taff]

My compost dalek is definitely not too dry, but I still have ants in there. More fascinating is that after I've given it a good stir round and rootle about with a garden fork, and thoroughly shaken up the ants nest arrangement, the ants patiently collect all the scattered eggs and larvae back to a central point and carry on as if nothing has happened.

do it a few days running and they'll go, honest. Once in a while is no good.