In search of a Compost Worm expert!!

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Brett, Mar 28, 2011.

  1. Brett

    Brett Junior Member

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    Hi there,

    I am working for an environmental NGO in Western Samoa (search the PRI website for "METI" for more info on us)

    We are looking to import worms into Samoa, and am seeking a worm expert to advise on the status or potential risks of worms in a tropical climate.

    Can anyone recommend a compost worm expert?
    The Samoan authorities just want to be further advised on the status of the worms.

    If not a worm expert as such, would there by any suppliers who would be willing to help?


    Brett
     
  2. Finchj

    Finchj Junior Member

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    Brett:

    This link will bring you to contact information for Rhonda Sherman. She is a composting expert from my state who is also very very knowledgeable about vermicomposting. She gets requests for help from all over the world, so I don't think she would mind if you dropped her a line!

    -Finchj
     
  3. Erika

    Erika Junior Member

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    Hi Brett,

    I'm not proffessional but have had my wormcompost indoors and outdoors for many years, and I got curious about your post. I didn't know that these worms weren't found all over the world! I thought they grew anywhere where there's a pile of cow or horse manure. Good luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't advise you. But for sure, these animals are good workers and interesting to watch. And in Samoa you have no cold winters, which is great when it comes to worms.
    /Erika
     
  4. Brett

    Brett Junior Member

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    Oh thanks Finchj! Looks pretty good, I'll try contact her then.
     
  5. barefootrim

    barefootrim Junior Member

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    University of New England, Armidale, NSW , soil division,, did plenty of studies on the compost worm for industrial organic waste management in the early 90's and published some papers ,,,,these studies led to some big waste management sites being approved by councils etc,,,,so maybe look there,,,, it was a long time ago for me, and I cant remember the scientists name that led the project I'm sorry.
     
  6. Brett

    Brett Junior Member

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    No worries Barefootrim, I'll look into thanks for the lead.

    The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources in Hawaii (which is great being a fellow pacific nation) seems like they've done some work on Vermicompost.

    https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/sustainag/Video/vermicompost.html

    In the video it talks about all the different varities of composting worms. So yeah while many different types of worms will do the job, there are a few that are best suited. Even in the video they talk about a preference for one species that is likely to stay put as opposed to leaving the box. But they balance this with a reason why those who leave the box are more likely to survive.

    My problem I guess is just to nut out the details with a professional who can advise a safe method for importing and ensuring that the worms we find/import are not going to be a environmental hazard!!
    Customs here in Samoa has very little information or skilled staff to check up on these matters.

    Thanks for your advice folks!
    Brett
     
  7. S2man

    S2man Junior Member

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    I'm not an expert, but I have an earthworm book, titled, surprisingly, The Earthworm Book, by Jerry Minnich. It is aimed at North American worms, but I'll pass on what information I think may be helpful.

    1) Ch. 7, Composting with Earthworms. "Red worms (Lumbricus rubellus) and brandling worms (Eisenia foetida), the two species most commonly offered for sale by breeders, cannot survive in ordinary garden and farm soils for very long. They will thrive and multiply in compost heaps and manure piles, but even there, many will be killed off or driven away when the organic mater begins to heat up through intense bacterial action"

    To this I say, that is why most vermiculture is not performed in large compost piles, but in shallow beds or trays, which do not heat up from the composting action.

    2) Table 4 - Optimum soil temperatures for the development of different earthworm species.
    Eisenia foetida 77*F 25*C
    Lumbricus rubellus 59-64.4*F 15-18*C

    "Optimum" refers to the best temperatures for reproduction, not survival. Other references to temperature in the text are also aimed at "best results". Again, for breeding purposes. No mention is made of the maximum temperature these species can tolerate. Eisenia foetida has the highest optimum temperature in the chart.

    I have kept red worms in an unheated/cooled room which ranged from 50*F in the winter to 80*F in the summer. They survived and continued to eat my garbage until my new wife found out I had worms in the house. I really thought she was going to have a seizure or pass out when she found out there were worms "just feet from my kitchen" :D

    If I could keep red worms at 15*F higher than their "optimum" temperature, I surmise/assume/extrapolate brandling worms may thrive up to 93*F.

    As a note, they devoured *everything* I put in the bin except for wax coated cardboard (e.g. milk cartons). No decomposition = no bacteria = no eating by worms. As an experiment, even cigarette butts were put in the bin. They disappeared. My worms did not have time to devour my cotton pants before the worms were banished to the garden, but I hear they will eat everything but the zipper and the brass button LOL
     
  8. Brett

    Brett Junior Member

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    Thanks for the info. There are 4 different types of worms used for composting. I don't have the list with me now, but they have very different traits, some will stay put others will wonder.

    I am also more concerned about the effect of bringing introducing a foreign species rather on the local wildlife rather than the survival chances of these worms. For instance I know they use composting worms in Hawaii with success. And while this is a similiar climate to Samoa the other species differ.

    but I have made some leads in this and am in discussions with a worm expert on his recommendations.

    THanks for your advice, as it is great to have this information. I worked in an eco-hardware store and we had trouble initially with our worms dying when the temperature got out of control.

    Cheers,

    Brett
     
  9. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    I wonder if you made a compost pile in Western Samoa and then took it apart months later what worms you would find in it?
     
  10. Brett

    Brett Junior Member

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    Yup we get a large amount of worms in our compost, especially when it is made using wood chips!

    But they don't look like the type of composting worms I'm familiar with, and they are far fewer in numbers, and only present under the surface. We might be able to use these ones, but as for a consistent solution I think we need a variety specific to the task.

    But great thinking.
     
  11. Finchj

    Finchj Junior Member

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    Brett:

    What type of worms were they using up in Hawai'i? African nightcrawlers or the "usual" Eisenia fetida? The African nightcrawlers are supposed to thrive in tropical zones. Let us know what happens with customs! I hope you all can work something out with them. I don't see why the intentional farming of them could pose a threat to native species if done correctly. Hard for worms to escape a well-secured bin. Although they do try...

    Good luck!
     
  12. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    There are studies that show that an imported European worm is helping to destroy the forests in North America. I don't say this is the only thing harming forests. I'm sure pollution, development, ice ages coming and going, lots of things contribute to the health of a forest. But it does imply that worms make a difference to the plants, and perhaps just introducing worms because they are good composters will create problems with the local flora and fauna. It does seem to be important to take the bigger picture into consideration when we brings things into an environment that will still be there long after we are using them. :)
     
  13. Finchj

    Finchj Junior Member

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    I completely agree, but I would think that if they are importing worms for vermicomposting that they would be taken all the precautions necessary to keep the worms from escaping. Though vermicompost does contain eggs and possibly small worms, so that is an issue. Although European composting worms shouldn't live too long in his climate. But, thats why he is consulting experts :)
     
  14. Brett

    Brett Junior Member

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    Worms escaping from the box is not so much possibility as a complete likelihood (making a completely sealed box would kill the worms!!) And this is a potential risk if they react too well to the environment, ie. use a food source that another local species is reliant on, or even if they are just able to grow at a faster rate than local food sources can manage)

    Samoa has had problems previously, and the agriculture still suffers from these invasive species. For instance the African snails came on trading ships I believe, and they are a major reason people have used a lot of chemical pesticides on the island. These snails are about the size of a small childs fist!!! Miner birds are another problem here, and in general introducing species to any area where they haven't been before is a potential risk.

    But yeah I think the important thing is that we work with experts to ensure we have a method that can verify the risk level.

    Cheers for everyones interest, we are now in contact with an expert from Hawaai, but if anyone else has anymore contacts this will improve our chances of moving forward.

    Thanks,

    Brett
     

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