Red Wiggler Worms – Things You Need To Know

Red Wiggler Worms - Things You Need To Know redwormfarms.com

Red Wiggler Worms – Things You Need To Know 

Eisenia fetida is a common Red Wiggler worm. It is the more often bought worm for composting. But do you know what it looks like? It’s life cycle or characteristics? Its benefits? No? Chill. We have got your back! Continue to read further to find out interesting facts about Red Wigglers. 

Physical description 

Red Worms are smaller in size and 3-4” of length is normal for an adult Wiggler Worm. They have varying bands from light red and dark red. This color is darker among the bands. Also, they have a very slight flat bottom, and their whole body is round. Their tail is often lighter in shade with a yellowish tip. This color fades in and out relying upon the things they are fed.

Life cycle & characteristics

The Red Wiggler Worms are amazing for composting, and that too, for infinite reasons that are:

  • They like staying put
  • Not choosy about temperatures
  • Consume food quickly
  • They prefer temperature at about 70 degrees F
  • Reproduce quickly
  • Not choosy about food items
  • Adapt to change of surroundings rapidly
  • Stay right at the surface
  • Lay tiny egg cocoons. Every cocoon hatches about 4-5 worms in approximately thirty days. However, adult worms lay 1 or 2 cocoons every week.
  • They reach sexual maturity in just 45 days
  • All worms are hermaphroditic

Benefits of Red Wigglers for Composting

Surviving on the surface of the soil is not just the reason for red wigglers to be perfect for composting. Here are other reasons that prove that using this species is the best choice for composting. 

  • they consume half of their bodies’ weight of food waste every day.
  • Amazingly easy to take care of and hardy.
  • Stay alive on the diet like vegetables, fruit, paper scraps, and bread. They don’t need any animal products.
  • Survive in a broad assortment of temperatures like 65 F, 8 F.
  • Tend to live in a combination of food wastes and bedding on dirt that are ideal conditions for a Worm bin.
  • Mature and produce offspring more rapidly compared to other Worm species.
  • Conventionally happy to stay in their bedding or container as they don’t try to escape.
  • Stay in colonies and tolerate high density as well.

Red Wigglers are the Kings of Composting

Red Wiggler Worms - Things You Need To Know redwormfarms.com
Red Wiggler Worms – Things You Need To Know redwormfarms.com

The strong red wigglers might be utilized as a hook bait for fishes or even as a source of protein for reptiles as well as chickens. 

However, they are best used for – as might be expected – vermicomposting

As stated earlier, they are the most often bought worms for composting in the world. 

Do you know why?

Well, not for just a single reason! But for many! 

Strength & Temperature Tolerance

The red wigglers are strong Worms for composting, tolerant of a range of different temperatures compared to other species. For example, the European Nightcrawler survives in cold temperatures at 60 degrees F. Whereas, African Nightcrawlers stay alive in warm temperatures like 77 degrees F to 86 degrees F. 

However, the red wigglers have the potential to survive in both high and low temperatures, processing organic waste and reproducing well at 55 degrees F to 90 degrees F. Their cocoons are popularly tough too, capable of withstanding prolonged cold temperatures, staying fine in a draped state till they become able to concoct in warm temperature. 

Cost

Kudos to its flexibility to unique climates and capability to mutate rapidly in them, the value of red wiggler is constantly low compared to European Nightcrawlers, and remarkably lower compared to African Nightcrawler. 

However, they are not cheap, due to their shooting demand for every garden-related thing because of the pandemic COVID-19 raised costs of every composting Worm. But you can expect to get them for $48 per pound.

We hope that this guide has introduced you to the importance of the Red Wiggler by providing a deeper dive into this species along with the information of its life cycle, reproduction, and breeding. So don’t wait up! Get yourself this scrawly species right away.

You might also be interested in:

How To Catch Fish Using Red Worms

How to Keep Red Worms Safe in Winter

Temperature Guide for Red Worms

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