Freezing Kills Most Compost Worms Some species of earthworms can tolerate some degree of freezing (0°C and under) which is called the freezing point tolerance. However most of the earthworms used for composting do not have a freezing point tolerance and will die once their environment has reached 0°C.
Worm activity slows down as the temperature drops. Below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the worms will be at risk of succumbing to the cold. They will burrow toward the warmest part of the bin: the bottom and center. Any organic scraps that you add will increase the temperature slightly.
Any temperature below an air temperature of 40 degrees could be a problem for the worms.
Earthworms will die in freezing temperatures, so they protect themselves by moving to lower depths in growing-beds or soils. They will live and breed at temperatures up to about 85 or 90 degrees F. For commercial earthworm production, ideal temperatures for growth and activity range from 60 to 80 degrees F.
While worms don't exactly hibernate, they do slow down at cooler temperatures and will die when it gets close to freezing which is why it's important to maintain a minimum temperature of around 55°F.
Worms can survive a wide variety of temperatures, but they thrive best at temperatures between 55 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (13–25 degrees Celsius).
Compost worms will live comfortably bedding temperatures (as opposed to air temperature) of around 16 – 27°C, give or take. Your worms will tolerate ranges of 4 – 32°C, however, they may become less productive at the temperature extremes.
An indoor temperature of 55 to 75 degrees is perfect for the worms. Keep them away from ovens, heaters or air conditioners – too cold and your worms will freeze, too hot and they'll roast. Remember, the worms create their own heat through their work.
Based on data from the current study, 4–5 seconds of exposure at 80°C appears sufficient to inactivate Ascaris eggs. At 75°C and 70°C treatment may also be effective, but exposure time should be increased to achieve the same level of inactivation.
Worm bins can be located anywhere from under the kitchen sink, in the pantry, garage, or even in your basement. One important consideration is temperature. Ideally, a worm compost bin should be located in areas where the temperatures are between 40 to 80˚F.
Jumping worms and their cocoons are sensitive to high temperatures. Research has shown that neither worms nor cocoons can survive 104°F or above for more than three days. Under the appropriate conditions and management, compost piles can easily reach this temperature.
Colder temperatures slow the rate of chemical reactions, including digestive processes. During the winter, you'll likely notice that your worms eat slowly and even move slower. Excess food scraps can be stockpiled in the freezer for later — this also makes it easier for worms to digest after thawing!
Temperatures below 32℉ are fatal, and will most likely kill off your entire composting community. On the other side of things: Temperatures that exceed 80 degrees are almost as dangerous as freezing temperatures. Red wigglers are not likely to survive above 85 degrees.
Worm bins can be kept indoors or outdoors in the shade. The ideal temperature for composting earthworms is 55 – 80 degrees F (13 – 27 C). Your earthworms will survive at 32 – 95 degrees F (0 – 35 C) if they have at least 4 inches of bedding and you insulate the bin during colder months.
Worms prefer temperatures between 55°F and 80°F (13°C and 27°C). Most indoor locations will meet these temperature needs. Worms can tolerate temperatures a bit beyond this range, but they will be less active. Get worms.
Unlike other pets, you can leave worm farms unattended for weeks at a time. Worms will happily eat wet shredded paper for up to 6 weeks!
Poke a few holes in the lid of the jar so the worms can breath and seal it up. Worms like to work in the dark, so wrap the jar in dark colored paper too. You can even place the jar in some place dark and cool, like a basement or cabinet. Make sure you don't forget about it!
All of this doesn't mean that hogs are guaranteed parasite-free. But even if a parasite should pop up in a piece of pork, it will be killed when the meat reaches an internal temperature of 137 degrees.
For optimal performance, the worms and the whole composter ecosystem need a temperature between 15° and 25°C / 59°F and 77°F. Below those temperatures, the ecosystem works at reduced level. Above, it does not work properly and it can even be lethal for the worms above 35°C / 95°F.
An influx of maggots, is most likely soldier fly larvae. Soldier fly larvae grow up to about 2cm / inch. They start out white but soon turn dark grey with distinct ribbing bands.
They are not generally harmful to humans but their presence in a worm farm is not ideal as the conditions that suit them are not optimal for your worms. They tend to exude acidic substances that are detrimental to earthworms and they prefer very moist conditions.
Use a carbamate insecticide to kill the earthworms. Some carbamate insecticides include carbaryl (Sevin), bendiocarb (Turcam) and propoxure (Baygon). Use about as much insecticide to kill the earthworms as you would to kill grubs, which is generally 4 to 8 lb.
Earthworms need moisture, so when taken out of the soil, they may live only a few minutes.
Mulches keep the ground cool and moist and provide worms with food—not only from the organic material itself, but from the fungi, bacteria and other small creatures which it supports. Mulches also discourage weeds and prevent soil compaction caused by overhead watering and driving rain.