Composting Worms
Aug1
This article discusses types of worms used as composting worms. Probably the most common variety is that of Red Wigglers (Latin name Eisenia foetida). For it status as a species that thrives in rotting vegetation, compost and manure, it is an epigeic worm. It prefers conditions where other worms cannot survive. It belongs to the lumbicidae family.
Lumbricus rubellus is also well known as a species of composting worm – and like Eisenia foetida it prefers conditions where other worms are unable to survive. Other worms on the market include Lumbricus hortensis, Lumbicus terristris, Eudrilus engeniae, Eisenia andrei, and Perionyx excavatus.
Earthworms in general belong to a class of creatures called “annelids”, with the distinguishing trait of a cylindrical body, segmented both outside and inside. Of the approximately 4500 listed species of worms in the world, about 2500 are earthworm species.
Red worms are sexually mature at eight to ten weeks. They are a hermaphrodite species that mate at any time of year.
When worms do mate, the new worms are born from cocoons; the cocoons turn red when the new worms are about to emerge, and they are about the size of a grape seed. It takes about three weeks for a worm to develop within a cocoon once it is produced.
Although a cocoon can hold as many as ten eggs, in the most common scenario only three or four worms will be seen to emerge from one. West Country Worms is one company that sells composting worms.
