Red worms in compost

[Noosner]

When emptying my tumbling compost bin yesterday to spread on the garden, I noticed loads of thin red worms. I know they are a Good Thing when it comes to composting, but I fear I've done a Bad Thing in turning them out into my raised bed. Can those sorts of worms live in ordinary soil?

[WendyC]

They'll sort themselves out. Move quite fast when they want to!

[Noosner]

Thanks, Wendy!

[Penellype]

They get where they want to go - I have a wormery from which they seem hell bent on escaping, and a hotbin which they seem determined to inhabit. I've tried telling them that the wormery is much nicer, and they will get cooked when the hotbin gets hot, but they seem to take no notice. Strange critturs.

[Noosner]

Thanks Penellype, that's very reassuring. I don't know where they came from in the first place but they seemed very at home in the compost bin and I felt bad for evicting them!

p.s. by the way, congrats on being MOM!

[arpoet]

Every time i take the top off my daleks red worms are clinging on to the lid, so i just shake em off onto the soil and let me start thier work all over again.
I have no idea where they come from, and i have never bought any but must have 1000s in my hosmuck and comost heaps.

[Bill HH]

They do live in the soil but prefer rich muck or compost. When you start a compost heap one of them finds it when on a regular scouting trip then goes and tells his mates. He then forms a C for compost or an M for manure and his tail points the direction. At least thats what I think.

[SkyChild]

I thought red worms were just REALLY healthy happy garden worms? They are full of nutrients and blood vessels because of all the tasties in the compost. The paler fatter ones are just worms that have been eating too much junk food.

Maybe not. I was told this as a child bear in mind

[Penellype]

There are different sorts of worms - earthworms live in the soil and like to be underground while Brandling worms live in compost and like to be near the surface, which is why you find them under the lid of the compost bin. You'll also find them under plant pots or trays on hard surfaces, and I find them under my copper impregnated mats that I stand my tubs on. There are other sorts too.

[Bigmallly]

They do live in the soil but prefer rich muck or compost. When you start a compost heap one of them finds it when on a regular scouting trip then goes and tells his mates. He then forms a C for compost or an M for manure and his tail points the direction. At least thats what I think.

Phew, thank god they don't form a "S".....................

[Noosner]

Thanks everyone, that's v useful. I expect they will crawl from the raised bed back to the compost bin then, especially as it's only a few yards away.

Interesting to know that they are called Brandling worms, Penellype. Now I know how to address them correctly

Arpoet, I too am agog at the sheer numbers and cannot imagine where they came from. Nature never ceases to amaze - there is so much going on that we are unaware of!

[Bill HH]

incidentaly the brandling is a choice worm for fishing.

[fishpond]

"Interesting to know that they are called Brandling worms, Penellype. Now I know how to address them correctly "

You may want to address them as Redworms as they may not be Brandlings.

[SkyChild]

I usually address them as "Look Fox, it's a worm" and he usually screams like a girl and runs away Toddlers *rolls eyes*

[Inastate]

I've noticed that they are brilliant climbers. I often find them very high up in places they shouldn't be able to get to, or in large numbers dead inside pots full of water etc.